Answering questions on May 21 in front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio resisted efforts to get him to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal.
At the hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Bill Keating played a reckless game, attempting to blow up the negotiations with Russia. He first asked Rubio whether Russia was the aggressor in the war. “Yes, Russia invaded Ukraine. They invaded them, yes,” Rubio replied. Keating then followed up by asking whether Putin was a war criminal. “You can look at instances that have happened there and certainly characterize them as war crimes, but our intent is to end the war,” Rubio answered.
Keating, becoming nastier, then repeated the question, and Rubio replied: “We can’t end the war without talking to Mr. Putin.” Keating interrupted, repeating his simple question as to whether Putin, with whom the U.S. is negotiating, is a war criminal. “I’m answering your question,” Rubio responded. “And the answer is that war crimes have been committed. No doubt. And who was responsible for that, there will be a time and place for that accountability. But right now, the job is to end the war.” Keating kept pressing but did no better.
