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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Most APEC Leaders Condemn War in Ukraine

A general view at the APEC Leaders' Informal Dialogue with Guests during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand November 18, 2022. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/Pool

Most leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on Saturday condemned Russia's war in Ukraine.

Leaders of the 21 members of the grouping in their declaration at the end of a two-day summit in Bangkok also said they recognized that more intensive efforts were needed to address such challenges as rising inflation, food security, climate change and natural disasters.

The APEC gathering is the third summit in the region in the past week. A Southeast Asian summit that included China, Japan and the United States was held in Cambodia while the Group of 20 (G20) nations met on the Indonesian island of Bali.

At the G20 meeting in Indonesia, countries unanimously adopted a declaration saying most members condemned the Ukraine war but that also acknowledged some countries saw the conflict differently.

The APEC leaders echoed that as they referred to UN resolutions that deplore Russia's aggression and demand its complete and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine.

"This year, we have also witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy," they said.

"Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy."

"There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognizing that APEC is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy."

The leaders also vowed to uphold and strengthen a rules-based multilateral trading system.

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