Ukraine should not intervene in a dispute between Russia and the U.S. over the participation of the guided-missile cruiser U.S.S. Monterey in the Ukrainian-U.S. Sea Breeze 2011 naval exercises,Director of the American Institute in Ukraine Anthony Salvia has said.
"This is a delicate situation because Ukraine has to maintain good relations both with Moscow and with Washington. It would probably be wrong for Ukraine to support the criticism of America. Let Russia deal with it. And Ukraine [has had] the noble role of being a bridge between East and West. Ukraine has played it well so far," he told Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
The expert said that Russia’s reaction to the appearance in the Black Sea of the U.S. cruiser, which is equipped with an Aegis anti-missile system, is natural.
Washington would probably react likewise to a Russian warship entering U.S. territory, Salvia said.
It was reported earlier that the appearance in the Black Sea of the U.S. guided missile cruiser had provoked concern in Russia.
"If a routine ‘visit’ to this extremely sensitive region is the issue, why was a warship with this particular type of weaponry chosen? What role was reserved for the Monterey’s anti-missiles in the scenario of the Sea Breeze 2011 drill, during which ‘an anti-pirate operation by NATO standards’ was exercised?" the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Kyiv sees no threat to any country in the Black Sea region due to the holding of the Sea Breeze 2011 military exercises on its territory.
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