US Treasury Secretary admits Putin is a war criminal

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “war criminal” during a congressional hearing, as lawmakers scrutinized the Trump administration’s push for Ukraine to engage in dialogue with Moscow.

During a session of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the Task Force on Monetary Policy, asked Bessent whether he would negotiate with a war criminal.

“That’s often the reality of diplomacy—negotiating with both sides,” Bessent responded. “We did so with Japan after World War II, because it was necessary.”

When pressed directly on whether he personally considered Putin a war criminal, Bessent replied, “Yes.”

Bessent went on to outline the administration’s sanctions policy, emphasizing efforts to cut off financial networks used by terrorists, criminal organizations, and cybercriminals across regions including Mexico, Guatemala, China, and Iran.

Addressing Russia specifically, Bessent highlighted the Trump administration’s strategy to undermine Moscow’s energy revenues, which he said are critical to funding its war against Ukraine. He criticized the Biden administration’s sanctions as “weak,” noting they focused only on lower-tier oil companies and imposed a price cap that ultimately proved ineffective.

By contrast, Bessent pointed to the Trump administration’s success in driving down global oil prices, which he claimed directly reduced Russia’s ability to sustain its military operations.