Rota based Destroyer Donald Cook to enter Black Sea amid standoff

The destroyer Donald Cook is set to enter the Black Seaamid tensions over eastern Ukraine.
Pentagon spokesman saidthat the move shows America’s commitment to the region.
The Donald Cook’s mission is to reassure NATO allies and Black Sea partners of America’s commitment to strengthen and improve interoperability while working towards mutual goals in the region.
The Donald Cook changed home ports from Norfolk to Rota, Spain, to be one of eventually four ships stationed there for ballistic missile defense patrols. The crew arrived in their new homeport in February.
The ship will participate in exercises with regional partners. The Donald Cook’s presence follows that of the destroyer Truxtun, which left the area in late March.
Truxton entered the Black Sea ahead of the disputed Crimea referendum that Russia used as a basis to annex the region. At the time, military officials said the Truxtun was there on a pre-planned mission conducting exercises with the Romanian and Bulgarian navies.
navytimes