US funds $53 M to rebuild Ukraine's national power grid

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
29 Nov 2022 20:00

The assistance is in addition to the $55 million that the US previously provided to Ukraine in emergency energy sector support.

People cross the road at the city center which lost electrical power after a Russian rocket attack in Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In light of Russia's retaliatory strikes on Ukraine major power grids and the approaching winter, the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced on Tuesday that State Department will be funding Ukraine with $53 million to support the acquisition of vital electric materials and equipment for its national power grid.

"In the midst of Russia’s continued brutal attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Secretary of State Blinken announced today during a meeting of the G7+ on the margins of the NATO Ministerial in Bucharest that the US government is providing over $53 million to support the acquisition of critical electricity grid equipment," the release stated.

According to the statement, the package includes distribution transformers, circuit breakers, surge arresters, disconnectors, vehicles, and other key equipment that will "help Ukrainians persevere through the winter."

The note further states that this assistance is in addition to the $55 million that the US previously provided in emergency energy sector support.

US providing $53+ million to support acquisition of critical electricity grid equipment for #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/mBdrS9zVsJ
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) November 29, 2022

Since Russia’s special operation began on February 24, the Biden administration has provided nearly $32 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

On November 18, Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that about half of Ukraine's energy grid has been out of order due to Russia's missile strikes.

Earlier today, Bloomberg reported that the foreign ministers of NATO countries will announce during the meeting in Bucharest that there are no plans for Ukraine's accession into the alliance now, confirming that membership into NATO has never been about enlargement, but clearly about the expansion of the alliance.

The agency quoted sources as saying that the foreign ministers intend to confirm that "while the alliance’s door remains open, now is not the time for Ukraine to join"