Ukraine has asked Mexico to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin should he visits their country for the inauguration of its new leader.
The North American nation has reportedly invited Putin to attend the ceremony in October.
The Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has rejected Ukraines request.
When journalists asked if Mexican authorities were going to detain the Russian president, Obrador replied: “We cannot do that” adding “It is not up to us“
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader in 2023 in connection with the conflict in Ukraine. Mexico recognizes the jurisdiction of The Hague-based body.
RT reports: In a statement on social media on Wednesday, the Ukrainian Embassy in Mexico said it was “confident” that the country’s government would comply with the ICC order and “hand the suspect over” to the “judicial body” of the United Nations, seemingly referring to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Izvestia newspaper reported on Wednesday that Mexico had invited Putin to the inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum on October 1. Putin will decide whether to attend or send a high-profile official to represent him instead, the Mexican Embassy in Russia told the publication.
The Russian Embassy in Mexico confirmed that it had received the invitation, Izvestia said.
The ICC has taken multiple steps against Russia since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, issuing arrest warrants for its defense officials and military commanders. Putin has been accused of “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children to Russia. Kiev welcomed the ICC’s rulings.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said at the time that the arrest warrant for Putin was “legally null and void” for Russia, as Moscow does not recognize the international body’s jurisdiction. The Security Council also described an ICC arrest warrant for Russia’s top security official Sergey Shoigu as “an element of the West’s hybrid warfare.”
Claudia Sheinbaum, the candidate of the ruling Morena party, won the June 2 presidential election. Putin congratulated Sheinbaum on her victory, noting that Mexico has traditionally been a friend and partner of Russia. He also expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would further develop during Sheinbaum’s six-year term in office.
The North American country’s current President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declared that Mexico would remain neutral in relation to the Ukraine conflict. He also criticized the neighboring US for providing aid to Kiev, and did not support international sanctions against Russia. Izvestia cited experts as saying that Mexico’s approach would not change under its new leadership.