Download or read book The Inhospitable Sea written by Lisa Aronsson and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Black Sea region (BSR) has become a central fault line in the strategic competition between Russia and the West. It is also the crossroads for a security space that encompasses the South Caucasus, eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and the Western Balkans and an important transit node between Europe and Asia. The war in Ukraine is forcing the United States and NATO to devote more attention to the region. Based on field work throughout the Black Sea region, the authors conclude that an effective U.S. strategy should: further strengthen the U.S. presence across the region through force deployments, weapons sales, investments, and diplomatic engagements; bolster NATO’s eastern front while enhancing flexible and “minilateral” cooperation among allies and partners, including with Ukraine; seek a new equilibrium with the region’s most potent ally, Turkey, while reassuring other regional states worried about Turkish ambitions; prioritize democratic resilience among vulnerable frontline states inside and outside of NATO; and support and secure projects to enhance regional connectivity that bypass Russia.