Ex-US official: Putin's G20 invite should require ceasefire and Zelensky talks
Former U.S. diplomat David Kramer criticized the Trump administration's invitation to Vladimir Putin for December's G20 summit in Miami, saying it weakens the Russian leader's isolation. He argued that if the invitation is not withdrawn, it should be conditioned on an immediate full ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Kramer also said Zelensky, not Putin, should be invited to the gathering.
David J. Kramer, a former senior State Department official for Ukraine and neighboring states, argues the Trump administration’s decision to invite Vladimir Putin to Miami’s December G20 meeting undercuts his international isolation. Putin’s previous U.S. trip, an August 2025 Alaska meeting with Donald Trump, yielded no movement toward peace, while attacks on Ukraine have intensified.
Kramer says Volodymyr Zelensky should receive the invitation instead. If Putin’s invitation remains, Kramer wants it tied to a complete, immediate ceasefire and a face-to-face G20 meeting with Zelensky, Trump, and EU leaders aimed at a lasting settlement. He notes European states have shouldered aid since U.S. direct assistance stopped.
Count words: first para: David(1) J.(2) Kramer,(3) a(4) former(5) senior(6) State(7) Department(8) official(9) for(10) Ukraine(11) and(12) neighboring(13) states,(14) argues(15) the(16) Trump(17) administration’s(18) decision(19) to(20) invite(21) Vladimir(22) Putin(23) to(24) Miami’s(25) December(26) G20(27) meeting(28) undercuts(29) his(30) international(31) isolation.(32) Putin’s(33) previous(34) U.S.(35) trip,(36) an(37) August(38) 2025(39) Alaska(40) meeting(41) with(42) Donald(43) Trump,(44) yielded(45) no(46) movement(47) toward(48) peace,(49) while(50) attacks(51) on(52) Ukraine(53) have(54) intensified.(55)
Second: Kramer(56) says(57) Volodymyr(58) Zelensky(59) should(60) receive(61) the(62) invitation(63) instead.(64) If(65) Putin’s(66) invitation(67)
[paragraph] No extra. Need maybe blank line between paragraphs? "2 short paragraphs" under 120 total. We can put two paragraphs separated by blank line. Then CONTEXT. That's okay. Need plain text. Ensure no markdown. Use apostrophes? Fine. Need no source phrasing copying. We have "immediate, full ceasefire" source "immediate, unconditional, and full ceasefire" but okay. "face-to-face" source. "permanent end" source. "European states have carried the aid burden" source "European nations have borne the brunt of assistance" paraphrased. Good. Potential issue: "attacks on Ukraine have grown" source "Russian bombardment of Ukraine has only increased" okay. "Putin’s prior U.S. visit—an August 2025 Alaska meeting with Donald Trump—produced no progress toward peace" source "Putin last appeared on U.S. soil for a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025. That meeting produced no progress toward ending the war" okay. Need maybe mention "Miami’s Decembe