NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the alliance is looking to strengthen its Black Sea assets

NATO is looking to further reinforce the Black Sea region despite Russia’s warning it is prepared to neutralize any perceived threats to its security there.
The alliance is already set to strengthen its eastern flank with four new multinational battalions in Poland and the Baltics, countries that have expressed concern at the increased activity of Russian forces near their borders. In 2014, NATO announced it would open two communication centres in Bulgaria and Romania, also Black Sea allies, staffed with 40 personnel each.
U.S. and Western forces have come close to Russian forces in the Black Sea over the last year, although their presence off the Bulgarian and Romanian ports has remained limited and rotational. Russia has proved sensitive about the region, which was once dominated by Soviet allies.
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the alliance is looking to strengthen its Black Sea assets, although he did not reveal any details.
“We are looking into how we can increase our presence in the Black Sea region,” Stoltenberg said at a press conference before a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels Tuesday. “We have already increased our presence with more air-policing, with assurance measures, with more naval presence and more exercises.
“But we are also looking into what more we can do. And we are discussing and addressing an offer from Romania that they can provide the framework, the headquarters for a brigade which can then organize and facilitate NATO activities in the region, including exercises and also assurance measures.”