Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Year's message on New Year's Eve in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Dec 31, 2023. (SPUTNIK, KREMLIN POOL PHOTO VIA AP)

SEOUL/KYIV - Russia's President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to visit the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA, reported on Sunday, citing a news release issued one day earlier by the assistant office of the DPRK's foreign minister.

The two countries had deep strategic communication and reached consensus on various regional and international issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, it said.

Putin extended "deep thanks" for the invitation of Kim Jong-un, DPRK's top leader, to visit Pyongyang at a convenient time and expressed his willingness to visit the country at an early date, it said.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that he expected a number of new Western defense agreements for Ukraine to be signed this and next month

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin's visit to the DPRK was being discussed between the two sides "through diplomatic channels", media reports said.

Meanwhile, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico on Saturday said neighboring Ukraine was not a sovereign nation but was under the absolute control of the United States.

ALSO READ: Kremlin: Russia ready to develop ties with DPRK in all fields

Fico, who is against military aid to Kyiv and opposes sanctions against Russia, also reiterated his opposition to Ukraine's application to join NATO.

Slovakia is a member of both NATO and the European Union.

Fico is due to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday in the city of Uzhhorod, western Ukraine, on the border with Slovakia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that he expected a number of new Western defense agreements for Ukraine to be signed this and next month.

"We are preparing new agreements with partners — strong bilateral agreements," Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

READ MORE: Top DPRK leader affirms commitment to ties with Russia

His call comes after the European Union said it will drastically increase ammunition production this year in response to Ukraine's growing pleas.

The EU will be able to churn out at least 1.3 million rounds of ammunition by the end of this year, EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said on a visit to Estonia.

"We are at a crucial moment for our collective security in Europe, and in the war of aggression run by Russia in Ukraine, Europe must and will continue to support Ukraine with all its means," Breton said.

Breton said that by March or April, the 27 EU nations would reach a production capacity target of 1 million ammunition shells each year.