White House press secretary Jay Carney says US military exercises with Romanian and Bulgarian warships in the Black Sea “speak in a clear voice” to Russia.
“We obviously have provided stepped-up assistance to those countries in this case,” Carney said on Tuesday.
“And this is part of our effort to work with our international partners and allies and to speak in a clear voice together that the actions taken by Russia to intervene militarily in contravention of international law and in violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity is something that we all oppose,” he added.
The US, Romania and Bulgaria began joint military training exercises near Russia’s borders on Tuesday.
The USS Truxtun, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, will also take part in maneuvers in the Black Sea.
The Obama administration has sent 12 F-16 fighter jets and 300 American troops in Poland this week. Six F-15C Eagles and more than 60 American had also arrived at Siauliai air base, Lithuania.
American fighter jets are set to take part in joint exercises in Poland.
The White House stressed that both war games were planned before the crisis in Ukraine.
“The goal is to see the situation de-escalate and for the Russian military personnel that are in Crimea to return to their bases, and to return to levels that are consistent with the basing agreement Russia has with Ukraine, and for all violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty by a foreign nation and violations of Ukraine’s territorial integrity to cease,” Carney said.
