Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for bilateral talks in Beijing.

The two leaders officially met at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse after attending a massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The Kremlin posted on social media that Putin and Kim traveled from the official reception to the negotiations in the same car.

Speaking to reporters at the start of the meeting, Putin praised the courage and heroism of the North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian forces to repel a Ukrainian incursion in the Russian border region of Kursk.

According to South Korean estimates, North Korea has sent about 15,000 troops to Russia since last year. It has also sent large amounts of military equipment, including ballistic missiles and artillery, to assist in the ongoing three-year Russian-Ukrainian war.

In his opening remarks, Kim said cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow has “significantly strengthened” since the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement in June last year during a summit in the North Korean capital.

Although Kim did not specifically mention the war, he emphasized that “if there is anything I can do for you and for the people of Russia, if there is more to be done, I will consider it a fraternal duty and a commitment that we must certainly bear, and I will be ready to do everything possible to help.”