Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has declined an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Ukraine, reaffirming Mexico’s commitment to neutrality in international conflicts. 

Zelensky had extended the invitation, hoping for an official Mexican visit to witness the effects of Russia’s invasion. He expressed disappointment over Mexico's inclusion of Russian military personnel in its Independence Day parade and called for recognition of Ukraine’s struggle for independence. Zelensky also expressed his hope that Mexico, under Sheinbaum’s leadership, would clearly distance itself from Russia.

However, Sheinbaum, set to become Mexico’s first female president on October 1, firmly rejected the invitation. She stressed that the country’s foreign policy is "grounded in constitutional principles of non-intervention and peaceful conflict resolution, "an approach that aligns with the longstanding Estrada Doctrine, which has guided Mexico’s diplomacy since the 1930s. "Our Constitution is very clear, noble, and pacifist," she said.

Throughout his tenure, current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) maintained a balanced stance on the Ukraine conflict, condemning Russia’s invasion while criticising the US for sending arms to Ukraine. AMLO has repeatedly called for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, although Zelensky has refused his proposal, insisting that peace talks cannot proceed while Russian forces occupy Ukrainian territory. Mexico has also refused to impose sanctions on Russia and declined to send military aid to Ukraine, despite requests from Ukrainian officials.

Nevertheless, it has played an active role in the United Nations, joining other countries in condemning Russia’s actions and co-sponsoring a resolution urging a ceasefire and protection for Ukrainian civilians. Domestically, however, support for the Kremlin has surfaced within Mexico’s governing Morena party, with some leftist members forming a "Mexico-Russia Friendship Committee" shortly after the war began.

Sheinbaum indicated that her administration would continue to focus on internal affairs, echoing AMLO’s approach of limited international travel. "My main task is to rule in Mexico; I will attend certain international events, which we consider important, but we will not travel much - our responsibility lies here," she stated, pointing to Mexico’s long-standing neutral and pacifist stance in global conflicts.