The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on a network of five groups and one person for enabling payments between Russia and North Korea to support Moscow's war in Ukraine and Pyongyang's weapons programs,

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed expanding bilateral relations. Choe traveled to Russia earlier this week, according to the Russian embassy in North Korea,

The U.S. State and Treasury departments announced new sanctions Thursday on five groups and one person said to be involved in illicit payment mechanisms between Russia and North Korea. In a statement issued by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control,