The extent of the fraud is vast. The current crisis was initiated by Russian airstrikes, which have devastated the Syrian opposition and poised President Bashar Assad on the brink of recapturing Aleppo, his country’s largest city. Controlling both Aleppo and Damascus and sealing the Turkish border would all but win his war.

Almost unbelievably, the Russians are insisting Kerry’s ceasefire doesn’t apply to their bombing campaign against ISIS and Al Qaeda. Since they have never admitted to bombing anyone else, it’s difficult to see why they will stop. It should also go without saying that there is no ISIS in Aleppo. There isn’t much Aleppo left, either, a city which has been suffering under chemical attacks, barrel bombs, and airstrikes for nearly five years.

It’s difficult to see why Kerry is buying this. Even if he’s not, it’s difficult to see why he is pretending to buy it. The Syrian opposition — the only reason the Assad government is bargaining in the first place — is still being bombed. It does America no favors to be seen allowing its nominal allies to be crushed while its representatives sit at a table, drink coffee and pretend to believe in fairy tales. It wins us no friends among the Syrians, their allies or even their enemies. And it makes us party to Assad’s crimes.