Ukraine's Zelenskiy to address Mexican lawmakers on Thursday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will address Mexican lawmakers on Thursday by video, the lower house of Congress said, as he seeks support in his country's war with Russia.

The Mexican government has said it wants to remain neutral in the conflict, and some supporters of Ukraine have criticised leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for taking issue with European arms shipments to Kyiv.

Still, Mexico has voted alongside the United States and other Western countries on a number of major UN resolutions critical of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Congress said in a statement late on Wednesday that Zelenskiy would speak during a meeting of a lower house group promoting friendship between Mexico and Ukraine at 12:30 pm (1830 GMT), confirming a Reuters report that he would address lawmakers.

Zelenskiy's address to the legislators comes at the invitation of the friendship group, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. There are other similar groups in the Mexican Congress, including one for Russia.

The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The German president and the US ambassador to Mexico have been among diplomatic allies who have sought to persuade the Mexican government to side with Ukraine against Russia.

Attempts to sway public opinion in Mexico over the war in Ukraine have led to some notable disputes in Congress.