Trump approached Putin at G20, conversation lasted 10 to 15 minutes – Moscow

Despite canceling an expected meeting with Vladimir Putin in Argentina, his American counterpart Donald Trump had a brief conversation with him that lasted 10 to 15 minutes, a senior Russian official has claimed.

Trump and Putin were supposed to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Argentinian capital last weekend, but the American president canceled it last minute, citing an earlier incident in the Black Sea involving Ukrainian and Russian military ships. Still, the two leaders had a brief encounter during the event, and it was not initiated by Putin, according to Yury Ushakov, the aide to the Russian president on foreign affairs.

“Trump approached our president during a gathering and they had a conversation. Our president has already spoken about it,” the official said.

He added that Putin explained to Trump Russia’s stance on what had happened between Russia and Ukraine in the Kerch Strait, with Trump “hearing out our arguments.”

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Ushakov said the plans to organize Putin’s visit to Washington next year were discussed by the two presidents, adding that it was up “to the Americans to gather wits and suggest something.”

The Kerch Strait incident started with Ukraine trying to send three military ships, two patrol boats and a tug, through the Russia-controlled waters. Moscow insists that the attempt was made in defiance of instructions on how to navigate the narrow passage, which prompted Russian border guards to use force and seize the Ukrainian vessels. Kiev responded to the incident by accusing Russia of an act of aggression and declaring martial law in some parts of the country.

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