Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s political dialogue with Central American countries had been limited to occasional meetings since diplomatic relations were established. Despite the lack of strong cooperation, countries like Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize, and Panama actively supported Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s aggression. On the international stage, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Panama backed all six resolutions concerning Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty during the 11th emergency special session of the UN General Assembly.
Guatemala has been the undisputed leader in the region when it comes to supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression. This active stance is largely fueled by President Alejandro Giammattei’s administration, which has been focused on deepening ties with the United States and strengthening bilateral relations.
In March 2022, the Guatemalan government announced that, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it had taken steps to cancel an agreement with Russia to import 4 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik Light vaccine, signed in April 2021. Guatemala also supported President Zelensky’s Peace Formula, joining several international coalitions initiated by Ukraine, including the Crimean Platform, the Bucha Summit, and the Core Group for Special Tribunal for Russia’s crimes of aggression against Ukraine. In April 2022, Guatemala, along with Antigua and Barbuda, introduced a resolution to suspend Russia’s observer status in the OAS, which was approved at an emergency meeting of the organisation’s Permanent Council. The visit of Guatemala’s President Alejandro Giammattei to Kyiv in July 2022 marked the first visit by a Latin American leader to Ukraine in 12 years. Key milestones in Ukrainian-Guatemalan relations include the participation of Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the Caribbean States Association summit, which was held in Antigua in May 2023 and to which Guatemala invited him and signing of a Roadmap for the development of Ukrainian-Guatemalan relations for the period from 2023 to 2027 by the foreign ministers of both countries. Additionally, a cooperation agreement was concluded between the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce of Guatemala.
Since taking office in January 2024, Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo has maintained the country’s steadfast support for Ukraine. This commitment was evident in Arévalo’s participation in the Peace Summit in Switzerland in June, where Guatemala adopted its Final Communiqué. In September 2024, Guatemala’s First Lady, Lucrecia Peinado, took part in the IV Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which focused on child safety.
Costa Rica has similarly shown strong support for Ukraine. The Costa Rican government has backed sanctions against Russia in the banking sector and joined several key Ukrainian initiatives. These include President Zelensky’s Peace Formula, the Crimea Platform, the Core Group for the creation of a Special Tribunal for Russia’s crime of aggression, and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children Kidnapped by Russia. At the Peace Summit in Switzerland in June, the country was represented by Vice President Stefan Brunner, who signed its Final Communiqué.
Between 2022 and 2024, Ukraine significantly strengthened its political ties with Costa Rica. This included phone calls between the presidents in July 2022 and June 2023, meetings between foreign ministers in September 2022 and May 2023, as well as other high-level encounters. In June 2024, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Iryna Borovets made an official visit to Costa Rica to attend the UN high-level event “Immersed in Change,” which focused on ocean conservation. For his unwavering support of Ukraine and his substantial personal contribution to strengthening bilateral ties, as well as supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles was awarded the Order of Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class.
Belize and Panama also played a key role by co-sponsoring several resolutions at the UN General Assembly in support of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine and Belize have started a political dialogue—something that hadn’t happened in the 25 years since they first established diplomatic relations. In September 2022, the foreign ministries of both countries signed a Memorandum to set up a framework for political consultations. Belize’s strong support for Ukraine might also be linked to the ongoing territorial claims from neighbouring Guatemala on nearly half of Belize’s land. While Belize was president of CARICOM (Caribbean Community) in the first half of 2022, the organisation made official calls for Russia to withdraw its troops and end the fighting in Ukraine. In March 2023, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrii Melnyk, made the first-ever visit to Belize by a high-ranking Ukrainian official. Around the same time, a steady dialogue was established between the First Ladies of both countries, with Belize’s First Lady, Rossana María Briceño, participating in the II, III, and IV Summits of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
Photo: Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba meets with Panama’s Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in September 2022.
Ukraine and Panama’s political ties mostly grew through their foreign ministries, with fewer high-level meetings compared to some other countries in the region. One significant moment came in September 2022 when former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met Panama’s Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes at the UN General Assembly. Panama didn’t attend the Peace Summit in Switzerland, likely because the country was in a “transitional period” with President Laurentino Cortizo finishing his term and the new President, José Mulino, preparing for his inauguration in July. However, Panama did join the Final Communiqué in early September. The first-ever presidential meeting between Ukraine and Panama happened during the UN General Assembly in New York on September 25, 2024. The two sides agreed to boost cooperation in agriculture, and President Zelensky revealed plans to open a Ukrainian embassy in Panama in 2025.
Relations between Ukraine and both Honduras and El Salvador have been marked by limited political dialogue and minimal contact. While El Salvador did not support any UN General Assembly resolutions on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Honduras has generally backed Ukraine, with the exception of two resolutions where it chose to abstain. A notable step towards strengthening ties came in late February 2024 when Special Envoy Ambassador Ruslan Spirin visited both countries to explore ways to boost trade and economic cooperation. During the visit, he met with government and business representatives from both Honduras and El Salvador. The issue of deepening political and trade ties with Honduras was also discussed during a visit to Tegucigalpa by Ukraine’s Ambassador to Cuba and Honduras, Iryna Kostiuk.
Nicaragua, on the other hand, presents a major challenge to Ukraine’s diplomacy in Central America, as it’s a strong ally of Russia and has taken a hostile stance towards Ukraine.
The Nicaraguan government, under its authoritarian leadership, became one of the very few countries to formally recognise the so-called Russian-installed “DPR” and “LPR” republics in Eastern Ukraine. It also serves as a platform for spreading Russian propaganda, with President Daniel Ortega regularly echoing Moscow’s narratives. For example, in late 2022, Ortega claimed that Ukraine’s victory over Russia would mean ‘the victory of Nazism’ worldwide. Nicaragua also joined other Latin American countries in opposing Volodymyr Zelensky’s participation in the EU-CELAC Summit in Brussels in July 2023, as well as the inclusion of a paragraph condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in the final declaration.
Russian interests in the region
For years, Russia has pushed to gain observer status in regional organisations such as SICA (Central American Integration System) and PARLACEN (Central American Parliament), with Nicaragua acting as its main supporter. In April 2023, Daniel Ortega called for both Russia and China to be granted observer status in SICA. He made this proposal during a meeting with Luo Zhaohui, head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, just before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Nicaragua. However, the proposal to give Russia observer status was rejected at an extraordinary meeting of SICA’s Council of Foreign Ministers. Representatives from Guatemala and Costa Rica opposed it. On April 17, 2023, Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement explaining that it couldn’t support the proposal due to Russia’s “illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.” The Ministry added that any consideration of the issue should be postponed until Russia ends its hostilities in Ukraine and returns to diplomatic dialogue.
In 2023, Russia ramped up its political engagement with Honduras, especially with the country set to take over the presidency of SICA in the first half of 2024. One key moment came in September when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina during the 78th UN General Assembly in New York. The two discussed ways to restart political consultations, boost trade and investment ties, and expand cooperation across various areas, including culture, sports, science, medicine, and education.
While Russia has yet to achieve its goal with SICA, its efforts with PARLACEN have been more successful. In September 2024, 76 out of 120 members of the Central American Parliament voted in favour of granting observer status to Russia’s State Duma and Federation Council. The decision was backed by representatives from Nicaragua (20 deputies), El Salvador (15 deputies), the Dominican Republic (14 deputies), Panama (15 deputies), Honduras (9 deputies), and Guatemala (3 deputies). However, the process for Russia’s official admission as an observer in PARLACEN, following all necessary procedures, could take up to eight months. Guatemala and Panama were among those who opposed the decision during the plenary session. Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo issued a statement saying it was “inappropriate to include a country that does not adhere to international law in the Central American Parliament.” Panama’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed its disappointment in a September 29, 2024, statement, noting regret that members of the Panamanian delegation had supported the move.
It’s also worth noting that just a year earlier, PARLACEN voted to remove Taiwan from the list of observers and replace it with China. If Russia successfully gains observer status in the Central American Parliament, Nicaragua’s authoritarian government would gain strong backing from these two key allies, further solidifying its influence in the organisation.
This shift could turn PARLACEN into a platform for boosting and spreading authoritarianism across Central America, potentially putting democratic institutions at risk—even in Costa Rica, which has long been a stable democracy in the region.
Moreover, a stronger presence for Russia in regional organisations could open the door for more commercial cooperation, an area where Russia’s influence is currently minimal. In fact, trade data from 2023 shows that Russia isn’t even among the top 10 trade partners for any Central American country.
For Ukraine, in its efforts to ensure the sustainable development of bilateral cooperation with Central American countries, the potential developments could bring about new challenges and obstacles. The growing influence of Russia and China in Central America, particularly considering the region’s geographic proximity to the United States, could turn the area into a potential arena for geopolitical confrontation.
