Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, delivering greetings from President Vladimir Putin and expressing gratitude for Pyongyang’s support of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

The visit came shortly after a phone call between Putin and Kim, ahead of Putin’s planned talks with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.

According to Reuters, Kim marked the 80th anniversary of liberation from Japanese rule with a letter to Putin, praising the “friendship and unity” of Russian and North Korean soldiers. Both governments confirmed North Korean troop deployments to aid Russia’s offensive, while South Korea warned more forces could be sent.