Ukraine's Zelenskiy urges Mexico to help deliver his peace plan

Mexican lawmakers, including President of the Mexico's Congress Santiago Creel, and Ukraine's Ambassador to Mexico Oksana Dramaretska pose for a photo, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's video address, during a meeting of Chamber of Deputies group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine, at the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, Mexico April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday urged Mexico to help make the case in Latin America for his peace plan for Ukraine, even as tensions persist within the country's ruling party about offering support to Kyiv.

Mexico's government has said it wants to remain neutral in Ukraine's war with Russia. Some Ukraine supporters have criticized leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for finding fault with European arms shipments to Kyiv.

Still, Mexico has voted with the United States and other Western countries on a number of major U.N. resolutions criticizing Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses Mexican lawmakers on a screen, during a meeting of Chamber of Deputies group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine, at the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, Mexico April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero

In his first speech to Mexican lawmakers since the invasion, Zelenskiy thanked Mexico for its backing on U.N. votes and humanitarian aid, and invited it to show "leadership" by contributing to his "formula for peace".

The plan includes Russia withdrawing all of its troops from Ukraine's territory, and he set it out to world leaders last November.

Zelenskiy noted that he in February called for a summit of Latin American leaders to make the case for peace, national sovereignty and territorial integrity - parts of his plan that are also issues close to Lopez Obrador's heart.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses Mexican lawmakers on a screen, as Ukraine Ambassador to Mexico Oksana Dramaretska and Santiago Creel, President of the Mexico's Congress listen, during a meeting of Chamber of Deputies group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine, at the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, Mexico April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero

"I think with Mexico's help, this could be much quicker," Zelenskiy said via videolink, speaking through an interpreter.

Nevertheless, a house leadership body presided over by Lopez Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) issued a terse statement distancing itself from the event, saying Zelenskiy's address only took place at the invitation of a congressional friendship group between the two countries.

"The meeting of the Mexico-Ukraine friendship group does not represent a consensual position of the lower house," it said.

President of the Mexico's Congress Santiago Creel embraces Ukraine's Ambassador to Mexico Oksana Dramaretska, as they attend a video address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Mexican lawmakers, during a meeting of Chamber of Deputies group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine, at the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, Mexico April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero

Lopez Obrador last year pitched a plan to halt the fighting in Ukraine, although Ukrainian officials opposed it, arguing it would benefit Russia. Zelenskiy has said he will only consider peace settlements once Russian troops leave Ukrainian territory.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard met separately with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts to discuss the peace plan at the U.N. General Assembly last year. Nothing has come of it.

Zelenskiy made his address as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is on a Latin American tour, visiting Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

President of the Mexico's Congress Santiago Creel speaks next to Ukraine's Ambassador to Mexico Oksana Dramaretska, as they attend a video address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Mexican lawmakers, during a meeting of Chamber of Deputies group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine, at the lower house of Congress in Mexico City, Mexico April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero

(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Jamie Freed)