Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy addresses the Mexican Congress via video link today. Zelensky will ask congressmen for support in the war with Russia, while the Mexican government says it wants to remain neutral in the war.
Mexico condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in UN resolutions. At the same time, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is critical of Western arms supplies to Ukraine. Last year he called for a ceasefire, which the Ukrainian government resented.
The attitude of Latin American countries towards the war is diffuse, partly because of anti-Western sentiment and historical ties with Russia. Last year, the Russian ambassador told the Mexican Congress that they should never follow “orders from Uncle Sam,” referring to the United States.
Zelensky’s speech comes a week when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is visiting several Latin American countries. Yesterday he was in Nicaragua, earlier this week Lavrov visited Brazil and Venezuela. Today the minister will travel to Cuba.
Dylan van Bekum
