Buenos Aires (CNN) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted that Russian aggression against Ukraine in the Kerch Strait near Crimea was the sole reason for President Donald Trump's cancellation of his G20 meeting with Russia President Vladimir Putin, calling suggestions that it was influenced by developments in the special counsel's probe "ludicrous."

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on the sidelines of the global summit, Pompeo said Trump scrapped the anticipated meeting "because the Russians behaved in a way that is deeply inconsistent with international law."

"The President wanted to send a clear, unambiguous message that we find that type of behavior unacceptable, so we canceled the meeting," Pompeo said.

In a maritime clash last weekend, Russian boats seized three Ukrainian ships near Crimea and detained 24 sailors. A court in Russian-controlled Crimea ordered that 12 of those soldiers be detained for two months. Russia's escalation has been met with international condemnation.

Trump's decision to cancel the meeting with Putin came days after the initial clash and was tweeted from aboard Air Force One on Thursday en route to Argentina.

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