MEXICO CITY, December 27. /TASS/. The West has failed to force the Mexican authorities to reject cooperation with Moscow, Russian Ambassador to Mexico Viktor Koronelli told TASS on Monday.

"We continue communication, and quite efficiently, between [our] foreign ministers, legislative bodies, and economic operators are cooperating productively and successfully," he said. "We do have problems and their reasons are evident: the collective West’s efforts, sanction pressure. But <…> concerning relations with Mexico, no critical changes have taken place."

According to Koronelli, this year, Russia cooperated with Mexico, as a non-permanent member, within the United Nations Security Council. The sides held political consultations on issues dealing with missile technology control and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. After the onset of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, a friendship group with Russia was set up in the lower house of Mexico’s parliament. Along with that, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Mexican counterpart, Marcelo Ebrard, at the opening of the 77th UN General Assembly in September.

As for the humanitarian sphere, the Russian ambassador recalled that this year marked the 100th birthday of Soviet-Russian ethnographer Yury Knorozov known for deciphering Mayan hieroglyphic writing. This milestone has been in the spotlight in Mexico. "A range of events was organized here, including the unveiling of a bust in honor of Knorozov at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, and a series of photo exhibitions. However, Ukraine’s embassy, backed by the European Union’s diplomatic mission, tried to hamper these events but failed," the Russian diplomat noted, adding that the same happened when the Turetsky Choir, a Russian men's a cappella ensemble, gave two concerts in Mexico, and the local authorities did not yield to the pressure exerted on them. "By and large, the Mexicans are rolling with the punches and are coping quite well," Koronelli added.