North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country will "invariably support" Russia’s war in Ukraine during a meeting with Russia’s defense chief, North Korean state media reported Nov. 30.

A Russian military delegation, led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, arrived in North Korea on Nov. 29. The visit has raised international concerns over deepening ties between the two nations, particularly following North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to Russia last month.

The Korean Central News Agency said that Kim and Belousov reached "a satisfactory consensus" on strengthening their strategic partnership and safeguarding each nation’s sovereignty, security interests, and international justice amid evolving global security challenges.

Kim emphasized that North Korea "will invariably support the policy of the Russian Federation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity from the imperialists’ moves for hegemony," according to KCNA.

North Korea has framed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a defensive measure against what both Moscow and Pyongyang describe as NATO’s "reckless" expansion and U.S.-led efforts to undermine Russia’s global standing.

North Korea has given Russia more than 100 ballistic missiles, 5 million artillery shells, Ukraine saysIn comments to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) also said Pyongyang had begun supplying Moscow with artillery systems last month.The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk