A third NATO ship is expected in the Black Sea late this week, after two US ships arrived last week and this week. The French frigate Dupleix, now stationed in Cyprus, should arrive in the Black Sea on Saturday or Sunday.

However, USS Donald Cook will return to the Mediterranean Sea, according to diplomatic sources quoted by the Russia agency Itar-Tass. The French ship should have already arrived in the Black Sea on April 14. The US ship USS Donald Cook, currently stationed in the Western part of the Black Sea, would leave today, and the French ship Dupuy de Lome, which patrols the center of the Black Sea, would leave next Thursday, on April 30.

USS Tayor is expected to stop in the Romanian Constanta port. Russian officials denounced the presence of NATO ships in the Back Sea, saying this is in fact a consolidation of navy forces after the Ukraine crisis, and not a regular, already scheduled drill, as announced by NATO.

editor@romania-insider.com