International

Kremlin still expects Trump-Putin meeting to take place as planned

The Kremlin is still reportedly expecting that Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump will meet at this week’s Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the meeting is still scheduled to take place and that Moscow hasn’t heard “any other information from our U.S. counterparts,” according to The Associated Press.

{mosads}Peskov’s comments come after Trump on Tuesday threatened not to meet with Putin, telling The Washington Post that he would consider canceling the meeting after Russia seized three Ukrainian naval vessels.

Trump said he would wait for a “full report” before determining whether to meet with Putin.

“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.”

Russia over the weekend opened fire on the three Ukrainian vessels before seizing them as they sailed through the Kerch Strait near the Crimean Peninsula. Russia has said it seized the ships because they illegally sailed into Russian waters, but that area is widely recognized as Ukrainian territory. 

In his interview with the Post, Trump said Russia’s aggression should “absolutely” cause concern for the American people.

“And by the way, Europe shouldn’t like that aggression,” he added. “And Germany shouldn’t like that aggression.”