Mexican President Rejects Ukrainian Request to Arrest Putin

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador dismissed Ukraine's plea to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. Ukraine's request was based on a warrant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with Russia, complicating the situation.

On Thursday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declined Ukraine's request to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum in October.

'We can't do that,' Obrador stated at a regular press briefing. 'It's not up to us.'

Ukraine's appeal, made in an August 7 statement from its embassy in Mexico, referred to an arrest warrant issued by the U.N.'s International Criminal Court, accusing Putin of war crimes, particularly the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

'We hope the Mexican government is aware that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal with an arrest warrant against him,' Ukraine's embassy asserted, expressing confidence in Mexico's compliance.

Putin extended congratulations to Sheinbaum in June, highlighting Mexico as a 'historically friendly partner of Russia in Latin America.'