G20 summit: Angela Merkel's plane 'makes emergency landing' on way to Argentina
The summit is set to get started on Friday, and the stakes are high for the leaders attending in Argentina
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has called off expected bilateral talks with Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires amid increasing tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine crisis and explosive reports the president's former lawyer lied about a Trump Tower project in Moscow.
As world leaders began to arrive in Argentina ahead of the start of the summit on Friday, tensions surround Russia's current stand-off with Ukraine over the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov, where the Russian navy captured three of its neighbours vessels over a territorial dispute on Sunday. Mr Trump tweeted while on his way to the annual summit that he was cancelling his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, writing, "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 in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin."
German chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to address the situation, which has seen Ukraine implement martial law in 10 regions, before Mr Trump and Mr Putin sit down on Saturday, as well as other worlds leaders, who plan to discuss the conflict along with a multitude of other high-profile global concerns. But, in a quirk that shows that international travel is never easy, Ms Merkel's plane was forced to make an unexpected landing in Germany — and she will not be able to attend the opening of the G20 summit.
Beyond the situation in Ukraine, the stakes are high for those attending, and that is especially true for Mr Trump, who is hoping to finish signing a reworked trade deal with Canada and Mexico — and find common ground with China to try to divert a potential escalation in trade relations that has already led to tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in imports for both countries. Days before the G20, Mr Trump suggested that failure to negotiate adequately during a dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping could lead to even further tariffs.
Meanwhile, the meeting is the first high profile meeting of world leaders since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi officials in Turkey, and world leaders are taking varied approaches in how they deal with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been accused of overseeing the murder of the journalist. Mr Trump is not expected to meet with the crown prince, while French President Emmanuel Macron is going ahead with a meeting. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he would not schedule a meeting with the Saudi leader.
In Buenos Aires, security has ben ramped up as officials prepare for the high profile summit, and residents of the city have been advised to take a long weekend away if possible. Meanwhile, thousands of anti-capitalist protesters are expected in the city.
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Mr Trump has also been speaking about his other potential meetings at the G20, during his two-day trip.
Mr Trump has said he will "probably" meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite earlier threatening to cancel their proposed sit-down. And he has no meeting planned with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Tweeting while on his way to the G20 summit, Donald Trump called off expected talks between he and Russian President Vladimir Putin amid explosive reports surrounding the nation’s increasing tensions after detaining Ukranian sailors.
The move also arrived after the president’s longtime personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow.
“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 in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin” he wrote. “I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!”
Here's more from The Independent on Donald Trump's move to cancel expected talks between he and Russian President Vladimir Putin at this year's G20 summit in Buenos Aires:
The White House has tweeted this flashback as Donald Trump heads to the annual G20 summit in Buenos Aires amid explosive news reports and the newly-announced cancellation of bilateral talks between he and Russian President Vladimir Putin:
Donald Trump has caused a frenzy of news in the final moments leading up to his trip to the G20 summit in Buenos Aires.
First, he claimed his longtime former personal lawyer was a “liar” and “not a smart person” while trying to distance himself from new reports revealing he lied to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow.
He then said there will be a government shutdown if he doesn’t receive the funding necessary to build his border wall.
Then in an unexpected twist, the president cancelled expected talks between he and Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid growing tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Dmitri Peskov, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, has provided the following statements following Donald Trump’s Twitter cancellation of bilateral talks between the two world leaders:
“We've only seen the tweet and reports. We don't have any official information. If that's the case, the president will have a couple extra hours in his schedule for useful meetings."
The statement follows an abrupt and unexpected cancellation amid increasing tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as explosive reports that Mr Trump’s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow discussed during the 2016 presidential election.
Despite Donald Trump’s jam-packed 48 hours on the ground in Buenos Aires, analysts are wondering whether the US president will now have time to meet with Saudi officials he previously claimed not to have enough time to meet with amid his unexpected cancellation of bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The president swept aside questions about not having talks scheduled with Saudi officials after the high-profile murdering of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, telling reporters, “We just didn’t have time.”
“It only wasn't set up, I mean, I would have met with him, but we didn't set that one up,” Mr Trump said. “I’m making about three or four meetings, we just didn't have time.”
Donald Trump has cancelled official meetings with leaders from Turkey and South Korea, instead opting to speak informally with the heads of state at the annual G20 summit in Buenos Aires.
The news follows an abrupt cancellation of bilateral talks between the US president and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump said on Twitter he was cancelling that expected discussion due to increasing tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Local media is reporting an inflatable “Baby Trump” has appeared on the streets of Buenos Aires as Donald Trump flies to the capital of Argentina for the annual G20 summit.
The inflatable mockery has previously made international appearances alongside the president’s high-profile meetings with world leaders, and became the symbol of massive protests across the UK during his visit to the region earlier this year.
President Donald Trump is not expected to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Argentina during the G20, but French President Emmanuel Macron does plan on meeting with the controversial Middle Eastern leader.
"I've always been very clear about the issue of Saudi Arabia and I will inevitably have the opportunity to discuss it with the Saudi crown prince on the sidelines of the G20," Mr Macron said on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The comments came just as Argentine President Mauricio Macri indicated that there would be discussions surrounding Crown Prince Mohammed's alleged involvement in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi embassy in Turkey. The royal family has denied he was involved, and has announced that the men involved will be punished for their actions.
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