The G20 that starts today in Buenos Aires has already had to change its agenda: Donald Trump has canceled the meeting scheduled for Saturday with Vladimir Putin. The reason? Officially the Ukrainian question after the tension of the last few days in the Sea of Azov, unofficially perhaps the acceleration of prosecutor Mueller's investigation into Russiagate.
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former lawyer and crucial reference in the investigation into relations between the American president's electoral committee and Russia, declared that he was guilty of lying to the Senate: Trump apparently continued to negotiate the construction of a of his skyscrapers in Moscow until a few weeks before his nomination as the presidential candidate of the Republican party.
The American president gave his official Twitter account the reasons for canceling the meeting with Putin: «Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine by Russia, I have decided that it is better for all parties involved cancel my previously scheduled meeting in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to yet another fruitful summit as soon as this situation is resolved."
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…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1068181367857397760, 5
….in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1068181371883909121, 5
Surprised by the sudden change of plans, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied: "We have no official information. If this is the case, it means that President Putin will have a couple of hours more to have other fruitful meetings".
The cancellation of the meeting between the United States and Russia shifts the spotlight to the East: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping will meet on Saturday to discuss the increasingly tense trade relations between the two powers.
Meanwhile, the plane that was carrying German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Argentine capital was forced to make an emergency landing due to damage caused by the malfunctioning of the on-board communication system, according to the German press. The German Air Force rules out that there is sabotage behind the plane breakdown on the state jet: "There is no indication of a criminal trail," said a spokesman. Together with the chancellor on the A340-300 of the German Air Force there was also the vice-chancellor and finance minister Olaf Scholz: while they were flying over the North Sea they were forced to turn back and land at Cologne-Bonn airport . The yellow remains.
