The US and NATO may increase their presence in the Black Sea: a bill was submitted to the Senate
It also provides for a change in the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance.
A bill has been submitted to the United States Senate to strengthen security measures in the Black Sea. In particular, it refers to the establishment of a “regular variable of maritime presence in the Black Sea.”
It was introduced on March 15 by Democratic Senator Jinn Shaheen. The bill was supported by nine members of the Senate: five Democrats, three Republicans and one independent official.
It states that it is in the interests of the United States to continue concentrating efforts “to prevent the further spread of the armed conflict in Europe by recognizing the Black Sea region as an arena of Russian aggression.”
According to the creators of the bill, the coastal states of the Black Sea play a decisive role in countering the aggression of the Russian Federation, thanks to which they contribute to the collective security of NATO.
“Russia’s repeated, illegal, unprovoked and violent attempts to expand its territory and control access to the Mediterranean through the Black Sea are a threat to the national security of the United States and NATO,” the document says.
In addition, the authors of the bill believe that it is necessary “to decisively oppose Russia’s illegitimate territorial claims on the Crimean Peninsula, in the territorial waters of Ukraine in the Black and Azov Seas, in the international waters of the Black Sea and in the territories that Russia illegally occupies in Ukraine.”
To solve the above problems and implement the Defense Plan, it is necessary to strengthen the eastern flank of NATO. In particular, the US should continue to work with Alliance allies on the issue of maritime presence in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea in the war of Russia against Ukraine
The Russian Federation regularly uses the Black Sea for attacks on the territory of Ukraine. In particular, in the waters near Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories, ships of the Russian Navy with Kalibr missiles are almost constantly on combat duty.
The American air force regularly conducted reconnaissance of the Black Sea, but in mid-March, a Russian fighter rammed an MQ-9 UAV. In Moscow, they decided to reward the Russian pilots who made such a maneuver.