There is a discussion of the ships supposedly involved at
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/08/us-warships-run.html
Apparently they were there for a previously planned exercise, but were “conveniently” in position for this.
Reuters has a picture of the USS McFaul, trailed by the Polish Navy vessel ORP Gen. Pulaski, on the way to Batumi.
The picture is of the two ship transiting the Bosphorus. There is no indication that the Pulaski is headed to Batumi. Likely it is headed to the scheduled exercise off Bulgaria and Romania.
The U.S. Navy destroyer McFaul (L), heading to Georgia with relief supplies, enters the Bosphorus waterways followed by the Polish Navy frigate ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski in Istanbul, August 22, 2008. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas