The United States is considering deploying warships to the Black Sea in coming weeks in a show of support for Ukraine. This is in the wake of Russia’s increased military presence on Ukraine’s eastern border.
According to CNN, a US Defense official said on Thursday that the US Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea, but the deployment of warships is intended as a specific message to Moscow that the US is closely watching.
A 1936 treaty gave Turkey control of the straits and so the US is required to give 14 days notice if it is planning to enter the Black Sea.
The Defense official also said the Navy is continuing to fly reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea to monitor Russian naval activity and any troop movements in Crimea. On Wednesday, two US B-1 bombers conducted missions over the Aegean Sea.
Although the US does not see Russia’s military buildup in the Ukrainian border as a prelude for offensive action, the defense official said that “if something changes we will be ready to respond.”
In recent days the US President Joe Biden and the international community have expressed their concern over the tensions between Ukraine and Russia. President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have all spoken to their Ukrainian counterparts.
According to a spokesperson for the German government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops to de-escalate the situation.
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