U.S. opted to vacate warships from Black Sea before Ukraine war, general says

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration made a policy decision to keep U.S. warships out of the Black Sea prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the top U.S. military commander in Europe, Air Force General Tod Wolters, told Congress on Wednesday.

While the United States has offered Ukraine arms and intelligence to bolster its efforts to resist Russia's invasion, Biden has sought to keep the United States out of a direct military confrontation with Russia. That also included pulling U.S. military trainers from Ukraine.

Wolters added that U.S. military aircraft were still flying over the Black Sea.