Blinken announces new $700 mln Ukraine aid to repair energy grid
3 Min Read
In late August Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that Kiev will receive $800 million in aid from the US to repair energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.
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A worker walks past scorched equipment in a turbine hall at a destroyed power plant in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on April 19, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP via Getty)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that the US will contribute more than $700 million in new aid to Ukraine to help rebuild its electricity system and offer humanitarian relief.
Blinken announced during a news conference in Kiev that $325 million in new funding is to help repair Ukraine's energy and electric grid while adding "$290 million in new humanitarian support to help provide vital services like safe drinking, water, food, shelter, medicine, to millions of people in Ukraine and around the region."
Blinken also announced an extra $102 million in humanitarian demining financing to assist with the removal of landmines and unexploded ordinances in Ukraine.
In a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Kiev, Blinken voiced that Ukraine has to work harder on reforms to strengthen its economic sectors and combat corruption, explaining that Kiev should ensure investors and businesses are "treated fairly."
He also added that Ukraine is in need of "institutions that are independent, effective, and free from political interference. That's crucial for the national anti-corruption bureau, for its regulatory bodies and the boards of state-owned enterprises."
In late August Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that Kiev will receive $800 million in aid from the US to repair energy infrastructure that has been damaged by Russian strikes.
"We are deeply grateful for [an icon of the US flag] support in constructing passive protection systems, as well as the $800M financing package for the energy sector," Svyrydenko said on X.
Energy was one of the key topics during our trip to the United States. Together with Deputy Secretary of @ENERGY David M. Turk, we discussed the immediate steps needed to restore 🇺🇦 energy system. More than 50% of our power infrastructure has been affected by russian airstrikes.… pic.twitter.com/KNTxmJBSId
— Yulia Svyrydenko (@Svyrydenko_Y) August 31, 2024
The Ukrainian official also mentioned that during her visit to the US, she met with Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk. During this meeting, she provided the US representatives with a list of critical equipment needed for immediate repairs to the energy infrastructure.
She noted that more than 50% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been affected by Russian strikes.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided substantial military and financial backing to Ukraine.
The total US aid, as of 2024, amounts to approximately $175 billion. This includes military, economic, and humanitarian assistance.
Of this total, around $107 billion has been directed specifically to the government of Ukraine, with the remainder allocated to various US activities related to the conflict, including support for US military personnel and operations in Europe.
Additionally, the US Congress has approved four major spending packages, totaling $113 billion, to support Ukraine's defense and recovery efforts.
A significant portion of this funding has been allocated to the Department of Defense for military equipment and support, with other funds directed to agencies like USAID for humanitarian aid and the Department of State for refugee assistance.
