Constanta, April 16 (RHC)-- As tensions grow between Ukraine and Russia, Romanian President Traian Basescu says the U.S. will send another warship to the Black Sea after its guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook leaves.

Speaking to reporters in the port of Constanta, the Romanian president claimed that USS Donald Cook arrived in the Black Sea last week to -- in his words -- carry out exercises aimed at improving interoperability, increasing readiness and boosting relations.

The USS Donald Cook, which is a multi-mission ballistic missile-capable destroyer, crossed Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait on April 10th and entered the Black Sea, with sources within the Russian military saying the move is part of a systematic build-up of naval forces by NATO allies in the region.

The USS Donald Cook joined guided-missile USS Truxtun last month for joint military exercises with the Romanian and Bulgarian navies in the Black Sea.