In New York, during a meeting at the UN General Assembly, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries raised the issue of strategic support for Ukraine in what could be "the most brutal environment since independence. In particular, the G7+ foreign ministers discussed plans for energy assistance to Ukraine.
This was reported by the Voice of America.
In his speech, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken stressed the importance of urgently repairing and replacing Ukrainian energy facilities destroyed by Russian attacks. He assured that the G7+ countries would support Ukraine through the winter.
"Today we are going to discuss where we are now and where we need to move urgently in the coming days and weeks - to repair and replace what was destroyed by Russian bombs and missiles; how to protect various energy grid facilities; how to provide more energy to Ukraine, energy distribution; how to mobilize companies to play their role; how to work with Europeans and the energy grid in Europe to provide even more energy to Ukrainians", Blinken said.
He also noted that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the G7+ has provided more than $4 billion for Ukraine's energy needs. Blinken stressed that Russia is using winter as a weapon to try to conquer Ukraine.
After the meeting, participants condemned Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which threaten citizens' access to electricity, heat, and water during the winter months. The ministers also called on Russia to stop its aggression and take responsibility for the damage it has caused.
The majority of those present also expressed concern about possible attacks on critical energy facilities that could lead to a nuclear incident.
Author: Danylo Pievchev