Canada condemns 'Russian aggression' toward Ukraine amid Black Sea standoff. Trump threatens NATO.

On Sunday, Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian navy vessels during a dispute involving the narrow Kerch Strait separating the Black Sea and the shared Sea of Azov. The incident could lead to a dangerous escalation of violence between Ukraine and Russia, and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland condemned Russia's aggression on behalf of Canada, joining NATO and the European Union in urging a de-escalation of tensions and free passage through the Russian-blocked Kerch Strait.

In the U.S., neither Secretary of State Mike Pompeo nor the State Department issued a statement on the incident Sunday, and President Trump only tweeted one of his occasional warnings to NATO, falsely suggesting that the U.S.-Canadian-European military alliance is a club and the Europeans aren't paying their dues. Ukraine is not a NATO member, though the current administration is seeking membership.

Outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley did announce an emergency Security Council meeting on the Ukraine-Russia standoff, in response to a dire tweet from Nolan Peterson, foreign correspondent for the conservative Heritage Foundation's Daily Signal news site.

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Still, BBC North Americas editor Joe Sopel found the timing of Trump's tweet "curious." Peter Weber