State Department's Reaction To Russia's Objection of Baku's help To Ukraine Bolster Its Energy Grid

The State Department on Friday dismissed Moscow's uneasiness of Azerbaijan's transferring equipment to Ukraine to bolster its energy grid, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports

Russia's state-backed TASS news agency reported on Thursday, citing a source from the Russian Foreign Ministry, that the transfer of transformers and generators to Ukraine by Azerbaijan as humanitarian aid was "puzzling".

Asked by TURAN for a reaction to Russia's discouraging other countries, such as Azerbaijan, from helping Ukrainians at the time of need, Vedant Patel reminded that, over the course of the conflict, the United States has played a role in offering humanitarian assistance and economic assistance to Ukrainian partners, but other countries have stepped up to do so as well.

"... I can’t speak to the specific reporting on the gas generators, but what I would say is that we would continue to welcome the support from our allies and partners and countries around the world to help Ukraine bolster its energy grid, make it more robust so that it can withstand the constant targeting of the energy infrastructure that we’re seeing by Russia," he added.

Azerbaijan announced on Sunday that it was sending humanitarian aid consisting of basic electrical equipment to the people of Ukraine, in order to restore the stable supply of electricity to affected areas in the country.

"Such a step on the part of Baku is puzzling. As part of a special military operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are destroying the critical infrastructure of Ukraine, which is used by the Kyiv regime for military needs", TASS reported citing a source from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.