US President Trump cancels meeting with Putin citing Ukrainian ships seizure

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he abruptly canceled his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled to occur during a G20 meeting in Buenos Aires.

“Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting […] in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!” Trump tweeted en route to the summit.

CNN’s report says “Earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters that he would still “probably” meet with Putin, despite a recent incident in which Russian ships opened fire on and seized three Ukrainian vessels near Crimea. “I probably will be meeting with President Putin. We haven’t terminated that meeting. I was thinking about it, but we haven’t. They’d like to have it. I think it’s a very good time to have a meeting. I’m getting a full report on the plane as to what happened with respect to that,” he said ahead of his departure on Marine One. Trump added that he will be getting a “full report on the plane” on recent Russian aggression in Ukraine “and that will determine” his course of action.”