US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal,” as lawmakers pressed him on the Trump administration’s policy of pushing Ukraine into dialogue with the Russian leader.

Bessent was specifically asked by Congressman Juan Vargas, the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee’s Task Force on Monetary Policy, during a committee hearing whether he would negotiate with a war criminal, the Telegraph reports.

“I think that’s the nature of diplomacy when you have to negotiate with both sides. I believe negotiations were necessary with the Japanese after World War II,” Bessent replied.

When asked directly if he considered Putin a war criminal, Bessent replied: “Yes.”

During his testimony, Bessent also spoke about the Trump administration’s policy of using sanctions to “choke” the financial lines of terrorists, criminals, and hackers from Mexico and Guatemala to China and Iran.

When asked about Russia, Bessent highlighted the U.S. response to Moscow’s fossil fuel revenues, which support its war against Ukraine.

He also criticized the Biden administration’s “weak sanctions” on Russia, noting that they targeted only lower-tier oil companies and imposed a price cap that failed.

He highlighted the Trump administration’s success in driving down oil prices and the impact of reduced Russian revenues on their war efforts.