Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) pulled into Odessa, Ukraine, July 23 for a scheduled port call as part of Sea Breeze 2016.

While in port, Ross plans on hosting a reception as part of Sea Breeze 2016 and conducting a community relations project.

Quotes:

"We are looking forward to our first port call of the patrol. Our Sailors have been working very hard to get ready for Sea Breeze. I think this port will be a great opportunity for them to experience a new culture and help build relations with our partner nations." - Cmdr. Russell Caldwell, commanding officer, USS Ross (DDG 71)

Quick Facts:

The U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law.

Ross is currently working with allies and regional partners to help develop and improve maritime forces, maintain regional security and work toward mutual goals in order to advance security and stability in Europe.

This is the 15th iteration of Sea Breeze, which is an annual exercise held in the Black Sea designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen regional security.

Ross, deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. The ship deployed from Naval Station Rota July 14.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.