Ukraine’s Zelenskyy talks to Argentina, Chile presidents

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed on with his campaign to obtain support from Latin America with calls Friday to the leaders of Argentina and Chile.

“I continue to establish relations with an important region — Latin America,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.

The conversations with Alberto Fernández of Argentina and Gabriel Boric of Chile came a little more than two weeks after Zelenskyy spoke with Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso and Guatemalans President Alejandro Giammattei.

At the time, Zelenskyy said in a speech that the conversations with Lasso and Giammattei marked “the beginning of our new policy of restoring relations with Latin America.”

Fernández held a 35-minute call with Ukraine’s leader, in which he offered help in any negotiations that may take place with Russia, Argentina’s government said in a news release.

As the current head of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Fernández told Zelenskyy, “Latin America is a continent of peace that rejects the use of force and promotes dialogue to resolve conflicts,” according to the release.

Before the war, Fernández was moving to improve relations with Russia. In a sit-down with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in early February, Fernández said Argentina should become the “entry door to Latin America” for Russia. Fernández later condemned Russia’s invasion.

Boric wrote on social media that in his convesation with Zelenskyy he “expressed my solidarity and our willingness to support the condemnations of the invasion in international organizations.”

“Ukraine has a friend in South America,” Boric added.

Zelenskyy wrote that he thanked Boric for his country’s support in the United Nations and “discussed the possibility of involving Chilean specialists in demining.”

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