Representatives of five economies including Japan and the United States walked out of a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on Saturday, the opening day of a two-day conference in Bangkok, in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine , officials said. The walkout was “an expression of disapproval at Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine and its economic impact in the Apec region,” one diplomat said. The meeting by 21 economies forming the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum is under way with the promotion of trade and investment in the post-pandemic era, especially pathways to a free trade area in the region, high on the agenda. Ministers from Japan, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand exited the room when Maksim Reshetnikov, Russia’s economic development minister, started delivering his remarks during a morning session, according to the officials. Another diplomat said the five countries that staged the protest wanted “stronger language on Russia’s war” in the group’s final statement to be issued on Sunday. “The meeting will not be a failure if [a joint statement] cannot be issued,” Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit told reporters, adding that the meeting was “progressing well” despite the walk out. How Apec can help drive growth amid optimism for Asia-Pacific cooperation It was the first Apec trade ministers’ meeting held in person in three years, as restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic have eased. “We hope that the outcome of this year’s Apec trade ministers’ meeting will play an important role in helping to determine the policy direction for the recovery and stimulation of regional economic growth in various areas in the post-Covid-19,” Jurin said in his opening remarks. The government of Thailand serves as the host and chair of this year’s Apec meetings. On the sidelines of the Apec trade meeting, Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda is set to hold bilateral talks with ministers, including ones from Thailand, on a range of issues such as the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). The framework aims to encourage openness while enhancing prosperity and building the resilience of the region, according to the US government. Its launch is expected to be formally announced during US President Joe Biden ’s trip to Japan in which he will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday. “We would like to welcome IPEF, as it will be a framework to strengthen the US involvement in the Indo-Pacific region,” Hagiuda told reporters in Tokyo before leaving for the Thai capital. Other issues on the agenda include food insecurity, high energy prices and the resumption of tourism. US-China rivalry is the biggest threat to Apec cooperation Founded in 1989, Apec operates on the basis of nonbinding and consensus-based cooperation to discuss free trade and economic cooperation by the Asia-Pacific region. Apec members account for about 60 per cent of the world’s total gross domestic product and about 50 per cent of the global trade. The Apec leaders’ meeting this year is planned to be held in person in November in Bangkok. Apec groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. Additional reporting by Reuters