State Dept/Administration outmaneuvered again...

via CTV News.

A summit reviving a European push to bring peace to eastern Ukraine ended Friday with a call for the delay of contentious rebel plans to hold local elections this month and for both sides to begin a promised withdrawal of smaller-calibre weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel at a long-awaited summit in Paris that was overshadowed by international concerns about Russia's military intervention in Syria this week.
The meeting was the first since the leaders worked out a peace deal in Minsk in February. That accord has been troubled, but there have been signs of progress in recent weeks, including a breakthrough agreement this week on withdrawing tanks and many weapons.

Interesting isn't it.  The Russians and Europeans meet to discuss Ukraine and the US isn't invited?  If that doesn't tell you something then check this out from Sputnik...

"A lot of time during the talks was devoted to the Syrian issue. Putin informed his French colleague on the progress of the operation and the mechanisms of information exchange between regional powers concerned that are implemented by the Russian Federation."
"He [Putin] talked about the coordination center in Baghdad and urged other countries to contribute to it at will," Peskov added.

I keep telling you to hate Putin but don't be so arrogant as to underestimate him.  He's is handling this situation to perfection (Don't get it twisted.  You can watch an enemy's behavior and be impressed by his abilities while still planning to gut him while he sleeps).

A side discussion with the French on ISIL?

Putin is proving himself (at least in this instance) to be a master of the diplomatic and strategic art.  He is so far inside the decision making cycle of the US that he is in essence DICTATING events while our people are simply responding (and slowly...so slowly that by the time they've decided on a course of action it's no longer relevant to events).  Our State Dept/Administration is being outmaneuvered at every turn.