Congress backs Biden on Russia sanctions, clamors for more

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Congress is largely backing President Joe Biden’s decision to impose sanctions on Russia. But the next steps in the Russia-Ukraine conflict are highly volatile, even more so in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a military operation there. With isolationist impulses rising in the U.S., Congress has no appetite for war. Polling released hours before Putin’s latest actions against Ukraine says just 26% of Americans want the U.S. to play a major role. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez, says the U.S. has a responsibility to exact “maximum costs” on Putin and the Russian economy.