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Donald Trump has cancelled his scheduled meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit over the recent naval confrontation between Moscow and Ukraine, The Independent informs.

Trump administration officials have blamed the clash – in which Russian border guards fired on three Ukrainian ships and seized a number of crew – squarely at the feet of the Kremlin.

Russian officials said earlier on Thursday that the meeting had been confirmed by the White House despite the clash in the Sea of Azov off the Crimean Peninsula on Sunday. Before boarding his flight to the summit in Argentina, Mr Trump had told reporters that he still planned on meeting with Mr Putin. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders later told reporters on Air Force One that the president decided to cancel the meeting after taking off.

“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. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!” Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday, announcing his decision.

The Ukrainian government labelled the Crimean incident as an “act of aggression”, and made the rare move to impose martial law in parts of the country that could be under threat from a Russian attack. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, sparking international condemnation and sanctions.

Russian officials said that the Ukrainian boats had illegally entered Russian waters.