Kinzinger: Russia-North Korea pact a ‘bad look for Vladimir Putin’

Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) took a swipe Friday at Russian President Vladimir Putin for announcing an official partnership with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their visit last week.

When asked by television host Bill Maher how the new pact will disrupt the balance of power in the world, Kinzinger said, “I think it shows that Russia is increasingly desperate.”

“The frontlines have stabilized in Ukraine, the weapons gap is shortening, and he has to go to North Korea to beg for weapons,” the former lawmaker said Friday on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” adding later, “So this is really a bad look for Vladimir Putin.”

In the treaty, reached during Putin’s two-day state visit with Kim, the leaders vowed to increase trade and defend each other in the event of an attack. The agreement marks a blow to the U.S., which has tried to isolate both nations for security purposes.

Kinzinger argued the Russia-North Korea partnership indicates Putin is “simply trying to buy time” to see if former President Trump wins in November, in which further aid to Ukraine could eventually be cut off.

“See that’s the difference between when you do have a president — love him or don’t love him— [President Biden] at least is doing some pushing back against this ‘axis [of evil]’ and so they [Russia and North Korea] are driven into each other’s arms out of desperation,” Kinzinger said. “Russia has to go because he has had economic impacts.”

“So yeah, they’re coming together, but that’s as a result of a stronger U.S. foreign policy,” he added.

The treaty is a deepening on the alliance that was formed last year when North Korea started to supply artillery shells in Russia in return for food and critical technology for its space and missile programs.

While speaking in Vietnam following his trip to North Korea, Putin threatened to send weapons to North Korea if South Korea delivers arms to Ukraine, in the latest sign of increasing tensions.

South Korea lambasted the treaty between Russia and North Korea and warned its presidential office was receiving its arms transfer policy for Ukraine, multiple media outlets reported.