Trump Reconsiders Planned Putin Meeting Amid Kerch Strait Conflict

Amid flaring tensions and conflict over the weekend in the Kerch Strait, US President Donald Trump told the Washington Post on Tuesday that he is considering canceling a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina this week. 

In the Washington Post interview, Trump explained that he expects a "full report" from his national security team soon, which he will evaluate thoroughly before making a decision as to whether or not to keep the meeting with Putin. If it takes place, the two leaders are expected to discuss a varity of topics, including arms control, the war in Syria, and conflicts in Ukraine.

The report "will be very determinative...Maybe I won't even have the meeting ... I don't like that aggression. I don't want that aggression at all," Trump insisted.

The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea proper to the Sea of Azov, bordered by Ukraine, Russia, and occupied Crimea. Trump's hesitation to meet the Russian president was expressed just hours after a Russian court ordered 12 of the 24 Ukrainian sailors captured by Russian forces to be held in Russian custody for two months.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Getty

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