Two US warships to sail in Black Sea until early May: Turkish ministry

ANKARA

Two U.S. warships will sail in the Black Sea, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said on April 9, stressing that Washington notified Ankara 15 days ago through diplomatic channels in line with the Montreux Convention.

The warships will cross to the Black Sea separately on April 14-15 and then leave the sea on May 4-5, said the official on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. warships are set to arrive in the Black Sea as military tensions between Russia and Ukraine are mounting. The two countries continue to establish their own military buildup on the borders of the Donbas region.

Russia has more troops on Ukraine’s eastern border than it did at any time since 2014 when it annexed Crimea and backed separatist territory seizures, and the United States is concerned by growing “Russian aggressions,” the White House said on April 8.

The United States is discussing its concerns with its NATO allies, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told a briefing.

Last week, U.S. President John Biden expressed “unwavering support” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in his confrontation with Russia.