Turkish media: U.S. cancels its plan to send warships to the Black Sea

On April 14, local time, a number of Turkish media including the semi-official news agency Anadolu News Agency reported that according to diplomatic sources, the United States cancelled its plan to send warships to the Black Sea. Just a few days ago, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials stated that the United States had informed Turkey through diplomatic channels in advance in accordance with the Montreux Convention that the two U.S. warships will go to the Black Sea through the Turkish Strait on the 14th and 15th local time and stay there In early May.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

In response to relevant reports, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey did receive a notice from the US Embassy in Turkey that day that no US warship went to the Black Sea via the Turkish Strait.

According to Turkish media reports, the two warships are the "Donald Cook" destroyer and the "Roosevelt" destroyer. Both are equipped with the "Aegis" weapon system and are capable of carrying about 56 "Tomahawk" cruise missiles. Up to 1,600 kilometers.

It is not uncommon for US warships to enter the Black Sea, but the timing of this dispatch has aroused great attention from the outside world. The tension in the eastern part of Ukraine has recently increased. Ukraine has accused Russia of gathering troops in the Russian-Ukrainian border area. The Russian side responded that the garrison is to ensure border security. Officials from the US Department of Defense have previously stated clearly that the dispatch of US warships to the Black Sea is to send a special signal to Russia that the US is paying close attention to the situation in eastern Ukraine. The US decision was regarded by Russia as an unfriendly provocation.