Mexico will not send arms to Ukraine as lawmakers from the eastern European nation requested.
“We don’t send weapons anywhere, we’re pacifists,” President López Obrador said at the conclusion of his regular news conference on Friday.
Mexico has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but not imposed any sanctions. López Obrador reiterated that Mexico would offer refuge to both Ukrainians and Russians, and that Mexicans in Ukraine and Russia are being assisted by the government.
“We’re the party of universal fraternity that goes beyond borders,” he said.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s ambassador to Mexico, Oksana Dramaretska, presented a letter addressed to Senate president Olga Sánchez in which the parliament of Ukraine requested weapons, radios, bulletproof vests and helmets.
“The armed forces of the Russian Federation are attacking Ukraine from different directions. We’re fighting battles every second in almost all corners of Ukraine. Russia is bombarding civilians, women and children,” the letter said.
“We believe that only the massive military support of our allies can help us drive the enemy back. While our armed forces are bravely resisting, we still have some problems with arms and ammunition,” it said. “… We also implore you to communicate with your European partners [to ask them] to deliver some of their combat planes to Ukraine. If you can provide any other kind of military and humanitarian assistance we would be very grateful. There’s no time to wait. Every second is important.”
Ambassador Dramaretska submitted another letter to Congress earlier this week that also asked for arms, and requested that the Mexican government cut diplomatic relations with Russia and impose sanctions.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo said late last week that Mexico intended to maintain diplomatic ties with Russia.
On Friday, he said that López Obrador has authorized a second Air Force flight to repatriate Mexicans who have fled Ukraine if necessary.
Eighty-one people were brought to Mexico on the first repatriation flight, which returned from Bucharest, Romania, on Thursday. That number included 44 Mexicans as well their family members, among whom were 28 Ukrainian nationals.
With reports from Infobae
