Kremlin regrets cancellation of Putin-Trump talks
Moscow: US President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is regrettable, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
“We regret the US administration’s decision to cancel the planned meeting. This means that a discussion on important issues on the bilateral and international agenda is being postponed indefinitely,” Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS news agency.
On Thursday, the US President abruptly cancelled the meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, in protest over Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian naval boats in waters off Crimea.
Moscow captured three Ukrainian naval vessels and 24 personnel near the Kerch Strait that separates the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov earlier this week after accusing them of trespassing.
Trump said he would not meet the Russian leader “based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned”.
His announcement was contrary to his own statement made earlier when he told reporters that the talks were not terminated and “it’s a very good time to have a meeting”.
Earlier, Trump said his final decision would depend on a report from his advisers on national security and foreign policy regarding the incident in the Kerch Strait.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel blamed the naval crisis “entirely” on Russia and said she would raise the issue with Putin.