It is reported that the U.S. is allowed to operate this cruiser, a major strike means in the regional missile defense system of NATO, only in case of urgent necessity, for example, in case the regional situation gets acute.

In this connection, the Russian side asked the U.S. to clarify what "tense situation" it had in mind when dispatching "Monterey" to the Black Sea, adding that the U.S. Navy warship's appearance in the waters close to the border of Russia poses a direct threat to its security.