Mexico says it does not accept Russian invasion of Ukraine

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Saturday that Mexico does not accept the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a video message released to coincide with a global event in support of Ukrainian victims of the conflict.

“We do not accept Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, because we have suffered from invasions,” said Lopez Obrador, referencing the Spanish, French, and American invasions of the Latin American nation.

“We are in favor of a peaceful solution to the conflict.”

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had invited Lopez Obrador to attend the event he convened with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced people.

While Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday he was unable to attend, he had promised to release a video “to condemn the invasion.”

Lopez Obrador has tried to remain neutral in the conflict and has declined to impose sanctions against Russia.

While his government backed a United Nations vote urging Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Mexico abstained in a vote on Thursday at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on suspending Russia from the U.N.’s human rights body.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Nick Zieminski)