Mexican Relations with Ukraine and Russia
The tragic war between Russia and Ukraine continues. What involvement does Mexico have with these two countries and the war?
On March 2nd, 2022, in the United Nations, 140 nations voted to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Only 5 countries voted against the resolution and 35 abstained.
Nevertheless, the Mexican government refused to join in with sanctions against Russia. According to then-President AMLO, “We do not consider that is our role and we think that the best thing is to promote dialogue to achieve peace.” [AMLO Press Conference, March 1st, 2022]. AMLO explained that Mexico wouldn’t “take any reprisal of an economic type” and wants “good relations with all the governments of the world.”
Later, then-Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mexico would only put sanctions on Russia if the UN Security Council would apply them, an unlikely event because Russia is on the council and has veto power.
Mexico has trade relations with both Ukraine and Russia, but its trade with Russia dwarfs its trade with Ukraine.
Most Third World countries did not join in with sanctions against Russia.
At the same time as the UN resolutions and the sanctions, six representatives in Ukraine’s parliament attempted to obtain weapons from Mexico. Oksana Dramaretska, Ukrainian Ambassador to Mexico, delivered their letter to request the Mexican Congress to send arms: “anti-tank guided missiles, FIM-92 Stingers, small arms, grenade launchers and other ammunition (modern and Soviet origin), all kinds of communication apparatuses, principally portable military radio apparatuses, ballistic vests and helmets.” The letter also asked Mexico to lobby Europe for combat aircraft.
Mexico refused. “We do not send arms anywhere. We are pacifists,” said AMLO.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion, February 24th, 2022, Mexico organized an evacuation of Mexicans from Ukraine. They were flown out from Romania and arrived on a Mexican air force plane on March 4th, 2022. There were 81 evacuees consisting of Mexicans and family members of Mexicans: 44 Mexicans, 28 Ukrainians, 7 Ecuadorians, a Peruvian and an Australian.
That was three years ago, in 2022, the year of the full-scale Russian invasion.
Mexico has continued to trade with both countries. However, the value of exports and imports to and from Ukraine and Russia has greatly diminished. See the charts below.
MEXICAN-UKRAINIAN TRADE
Value of Mexican Exports to Ukraine in U.S. Dollars:
2021 – 37.6 Million
2022– 12.3 Million
2023– 8.24 Million
2024– 13.5 Million
Value of Mexican Imports from Ukraine:
2021– 302 Million
2022– 113 Million
2023– 116 Million
2024 – 87.6 Million
MEXICAN-RUSSIAN TRADE
Value of Mexican Exports to Russia in U.S. Dollars:
2021 – 499 Million
2022– 122 Million
2023– 36.9 Million
2024– 28.4 Million
Value of Mexican Imports from Russia:
2021– 2 Billion, 251 Million
2022– 2 Billion, 328 Million
2023– 2 Billion, 150 Million
2024– 1 Billion, 581 Million
by Allan Wall for Mexico News Report
Source: Mexico News Report
