; (8) the United States should also work with the European Union on coordinating a strategy to support democratic initiatives and economic prosperity in the region, which includes two European Union members and four European Union aspirant nations; (9) Turkey's behavior towards some regional allies and democratic states has been counterproductive and has contributed to increased tensions in the region, and Turkey should avoid any actions to further escalate regional tensions; (10) the United States should work to foster dialogue among countries within the Black Sea region to improve communication and intelligence sharing and increase cyber defense capabilities; (11) countries with historic and economic ties to Russia are looking to the United States and Europe to provide a positive economic presence in the broader region as a counterbalance to the Russian Federation’s malign influence in the region; (12) it is in the interest of the United States to support and bolster the economic ties between the United States and Black Sea states; (13) the United States should support the initiative undertaken by central and eastern European states to advance the Three Seas Initiative Fund to strengthen transport, energy, and digital infrastructure connectivity in the region between the Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, and Black Sea; (14) there are mutually beneficial opportunities for increased investment and economic expansion, particularly on energy, climate, and transport infrastructure initiatives, between the United States and Black Sea states and the broader region; (15) improved economic ties between the United States and the Black Sea states and the broader region can lead to a strengthened strategic partnership; (16) the United States must seek to address the food security challenges arising from disruption of Ukraine’s Black Sea and Azov Sea ports, as this global challenge will have critical national security implications for the United States, our partners, and allies