By an overwhelming margin, voters in the Crimea region of Ukraine agreed Sunday to separate and establish an independent nation. Russian President Vladimir Putin moved swiftly to recognize the new country.

President Barack Obama reacted by announcing the U.S. is freezing assets in this country belonging to seven Russian government officials. “If Russia continues to interfere in Ukraine, we stand ready to impose further sanctions,” Obama threatened.

U.S. officials should admit they have been outmaneuvered at every turn by Putin. Instead, they resort to what amounts to a public relations stunt aimed at making Americans believe our president is doing something.

U.S. foreign policy has been a joke during most of Obama’s presidency. The toothless gesture this week merely makes it even more obvious that, once he learns his personality is insufficient to sway leaders such as Putin, the president has no clue about what to do next.