The US Navy is keeping its warships out of the Black Sea to avoid any escalation with Russia during the ongoing war in Ukraine, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday indicated on Thursday. 
 
"For the time being we are going to stay out of the Black Sea... from an escalatory point of view," Gilday told a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) podcast. 
 
The Admiral claimed that US President Joe Biden does not want the US or NATO to get involved in a war. 
 
Earlier on Thursday, Biden asked the US Congress for $33 billion in additional aid for Ukraine, including $20.6 billion for security assistance. 

According to the White House, the funding would cover the next five months and would include $500 million in US food production assistance, $3 billion in humanitarian and food assistance, $8.5 billion in economic assistance, and over $20 billion in security and military assistance.

The defense funding will go toward more artillery, anti-armor, anti-air capabilities, and armored vehicles, the White House said, adding that the money will also be invested in a stronger NATO security posture through support for US troops deployed in the region.

However, at a White House event, Biden claimed that the idea of the United States trying to wage a larger proxy war in Ukraine was not true.