Claudia Sheinbaum explained her decision to decline Kiev’s invitation to visit Ukraine, citing her nation’s peace-oriented foreign policy principles.
Mexico’s president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, has told journalists that she plans to pursue a policy of non-intervention in foreign affairs, adding that she will not make a state visit to Ukraine.
Sheinbaum will take over from outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, her close ally, on October 1. Her landslide victory in June’s election makes her the first female president of Mexico.
When asked by reporters about a potential trip to Kiev, she replied, “I don’t think so, I say again, we act in accordance with the principles of foreign policy and the Constitution.”
“Our foreign policy is defined by the Constitution. It is very clear, dignified and peaceful. Searching for the peaceful resolution of conflicts is the cornerstone of our foreign policy. This is our policy, and it won’t change,” Sheinbaum added.
This comment comes just a week after Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky pledged to send a high-ranking official to the inauguration of the new Mexican president. In an interview with the Mexican news outlet Excelsior, Zelensky expressed hope that Sheinbaum would make an official visit to Kiev.
The president-elect also reaffirmed Mexico’s commitment to maintaining diplomatic relations with all countries, except for Ecuador. Earlier this year, Mexico severed diplomatic relations with the South American nation due to a “violation of sovereignty.” In April, Obrador suspended ties after Ecuadorian police arrested the country’s former vice president inside the Mexican Embassy in Quito, following a months-long standoff.
“I will attend certain international events which we consider important, but we will not travel much – our responsibility lies here,” Sheinbaum concluded.
Mexico has maintained a neutral stance on the Ukrainian conflict. The outgoing president is a critic of US military aid to Kiev and of the sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West. In August, Mexican authorities rejected a Ukrainian request to arrest Vladimir Putin if the Russian president were to travel to the Latin American country this fall for the inauguration of its new leader.
Last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in connection with the Ukraine conflict. Mexico is one of 124 nations that recognize the jurisdiction of the Hague-based institution.