Trump threatens to cancel G20 meeting with Putin over Ukraine

World November 28, 2018, 3:43

In an interview with Washington Post, Trump said he was awaiting a "full report" on the recent Kerch Strait provocation

WASHINGTON, November 28. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said he might cancel the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina due to the recent Kerch Strait incident.

In an interview with Washington Post, Trump said he was awaiting a "full report" on the incident from his national security team.

"That will be very determinative," Trump said. "Maybe I won’t have the meeting. Maybe I won’t even have the meeting… I don’t like that aggression. I don’t want that aggression at all."

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said earlier in the day that during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, the two leaders would discuss the entire range of bilateral issues, including arms control. "I think it'll be a continuation of their discussion in Helsinki," he added.

On November 25, three Ukrainian warships en route from Odessa in the Black Sea to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov illegally crossed Russia’s state border, entered Russia’s territorial waters and started performing dangerous maneuvers.

Despite repeated warnings and demands to stop, the Ukrainian vessels continued their way, forcing Russia to use weapons. The three Ukrainian ships were detained in the Black Sea and taken to the port of Kerch. Three Ukrainian servicemen were slightly wounded and received medical assistance, and their lives are out of danger. A criminal case has been launched over the violation of Russia’s state border.

Ukraine introduced martial law in connection with the incident. Moscow slammed the incident as a provocation. The European Union and NATO called for defusing the tensions.

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