February 2, 2022

President Joe Biden’s face-off with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over Ukraine has deeply unsettled progressive lawmakers and other advocates of a restrained U.S. foreign policy, leaving them struggling to mount a coherent response.

These so-called restrainers had hoped that the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan marked the start of a new, more judicious phase of American power projection abroad. Less than six months later, many fear that — despite Biden’s pledge not to put American troops in the line of fire — the United States is bluffing its way into a war with Russia.

In Congress, some progressive Democrats are trying to devise a unified message on how the United States should approach the Ukraine crisis, according to a senior Democratic staffer. The effort comes amid broad bipartisan support for a new sanctions package on Russia pushed by more hawkish lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Read more:

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/02/progressive-restrainers-biden-ukraine-threats-00004655