Washington, March 12 (RHC)-- White House press secretary Jay Carney says U.S. military exercises with Romanian and Bulgarian warships in the Black Sea "speak in a clear voice" to Russia.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Carney said that Washington has “obviously provided stepped-up assistance to those countries in this case." He confirmed that the U.S., Romania and Bulgaria began joint military training exercises near Russia's borders on Tuesday.
The USS Truxtun, a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, will also take part in maneuvers in the Black Sea. The Barack Obama administration has sent 12 F-16 fighter jets and 300 American troops to Poland this week. Six F-15C Eagles and more than 60 Americans had also arrived at Siauliai air base, Lithuania.
The White House claims that both war games were planned before the crisis in Ukraine. But political and military analysts said that it's clear the maneuvers are tied to the current situation in the region.
