Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt has been asked to coordinate the United States Government’s energy support for Ukraine with international partners, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price has said at a press briefing.
This includes leading our engagement in the G7 effort that foreign ministers announced last week. Assistant Secretary Pyatt is uniquely qualified to lead these efforts, having served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2013 to 2016, in addition to heading the department’s international energy policy and assistance programs.
Within the United States Government, the Department of State will work with the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the US Agency for International Development, and the National Security Council to assess requests from the Government of Ukraine and identify resources or equipment that may be suitable to the task.
The interagency group will work with international partners through the G7 mechanism to provide needed equipment and assistance to repair, maintain, and fortify the Ukrainian energy sector over this winter.
The intensity of Russia’s strikes targeting Ukrainian power has increased dramatically since October 10th. Russia aims to fracture the energy grid and leave millions without power, water, or heat, in an attempt to reduce Ukraine’s resilience and determination during the cold winter months.
The Government of Ukraine will need assistance to ensure Ukraine remains resilient and strong despite Russia’s efforts to cut off heat and light this winter. President Putin has failed on the battlefield, so he is now waging war on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. We must ensure he fails there too.