Task for Obama at Group of 7 Is to Reinforce Stance Against Russia - NYT: "Top among Mr. Obama’s tasks will be “a little bit of mopping up” from the meeting Mr. Kerry held with Mr. Putin..."
A recent visit by Secretary of State John Kerry to the Black Sea resort city of Sochi for a meeting with Mr. Putin — questioned even by some inside the White House — sharpened debate over the Obama administration’s stance, leaving the Russian president claiming a diplomatic triumph while American officials scrambled to explain that their policy had not changed. ... Top among Mr. Obama’s tasks will be “a little bit of mopping up” from the meeting Mr. Kerry held with Mr. Putin, said Julianne Smith, a former deputy national security adviser to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. “It created this kind of cloud of controversy around what is the U.S. strategy, why did he go?” Ms. Smith said, calling the visit “counterproductive” in some ways. Mr. Obama is now in the position of emphasizing to European leaders, particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the summit meeting’s host, that “we’re not trying to undercut your efforts — this was meant to enhance those efforts. Ms. Smith