Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Russia could hold military drills with North Korea. 

According to Reuters and the Russian state news agency TASS, Putin mentioned the possibility during a plenary session of the annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi.

Asked whether Moscow would conduct joint military drills with Pyongyang, Putin reportedly responded, “We’ll see. We could also conduct exercises. Why not?”

Mentioning the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that Russia and North Korea signed in June, Putin mentioned an article that obligates both sides to assist each other in the event of aggression by another state. 

Putin reportedly said the partnership deal spelled out the contours of Moscow’s cooperation with North Korea.