During a 20-minute interview with The Washington Post, President Trump raised the possibility he might cancel an upcoming planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 in Argentina because of Russia's weekend attack on Ukrainian naval ships.
Sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Trump also threatened to cancel his scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a global summit this week because of Russia’s maritime clash with Ukraine. He said he was awaiting a “full report” from his national security team Tuesday evening about Russia’s capture of three Ukrainian naval ships and their crews in the Black Sea on Sunday.
“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.”
The president has been reluctant to speak forcefully about Russia's actions. During a press gaggle on Monday, he said he didn't like what was happening between Russia and Ukraine "either way" and avoided assigning blame.
Trump also addressed the matter of the Mueller probe and whether he planned to shut down the special counsel.
... Trump said he had “no intention” of taking action to stop special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“The Mueller investigation is what it is. It just goes on and on and on,” Trump said. When pressed on whether he would commit to letting the probe continue until its conclusion, he stopped short of making an explicit pledge.
“This question has been asked about me now for almost two years,” the president said, at which point counselor Kellyanne Conway chimed in, “A thousand times.”
Trump continued: “And, in the meantime, he’s still there. He wouldn’t have to be, but he’s still there, so I have no intention of doing anything.”
The president declined to discuss on the record the Mueller team’s accusation Monday that former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort had breached his plea agreement by lying repeatedly to investigators.