US Treasury Secretary calls Putin war criminal
Photo: Scott Bessent, US Treasury Secretary (Getty Images)
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agrees that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. However, American officials do not see this as an obstacle to negotiations, according to the broadcast of the US Treasury Secretary’s testimony before Congress.
During the event, Bessent was asked directly whether he considers the head of the Kremlin a war criminal.
Speaking in the congressional chamber, the US Treasury Secretary gave an affirmative answer, saying: “Yes.”
At the same time, when asked whether he would negotiate under such circumstances, Bessent stated that “that's the nature of diplomacy, one must negotiate with both sides.”
“I believe the negotiations were needed with the Japanese after World War II,” the Treasury Secretary added.
Trump camp calls Putin war criminal for first time
While former US President Joe Biden had also called Vladimir Putin a war criminal, this rhetoric changed after the White House leadership switched.
Current US President Donald Trump has refused to use such a characterization of Putin, repeatedly insisting that criticizing Russia over its war against Ukraine would allegedly hinder diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Officials in Trump's administration have expressed solidarity with this stance. Therefore, the recent statement from the US Treasury Secretary - publicly agreeing that Putin is a war criminal - is the first such remark from a top Trump official.
Even before being elected, Trump declined to call Putin a war criminal.
Nevertheless, other US politicians have been more explicit in their assessments of the Russian president. For example, on April 20, Congressman Joe Wilson also called Putin a war criminal and a cynical liar, adding that in his view, the Kremlin leader's announced Easter ceasefire was fake.
