The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, has sharply criticized Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad for his crimes against his citizens.

"We are dealing with a mafia state run by an evil authority and its corrupt inner circle," Menendez said. "This is an extraordinary country. We are dealing with a criminal regime, not a democratic government."

He noted that Russia "continues to assist the brutal and criminal Assad regime only to secure its interests and military access to the Mediterranean through which the southern wing of the Europeans can be threatened."

In a speech to the Senate yesterday, the Democratic senator touched on the UN's claim that Russia has committed war crimes in Syria, by launching indiscriminate attacks on civilian centers.

He added: "In just three years, the Syrian Observatory has estimated that Russian military activity in Syria has caused nearly 18,000 casualties, including 8,000 civilians. Let me be clear, these are war crimes and they must be held accountable."

It is worth noting that Menendez's speech comes ahead of the upcoming summit in Geneva, Switzerland, in the middle of the month and will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with American Joe Biden.