Western nations within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are actively lobbying other member economies to oppose Russia's bid for the rotating chairmanship. This claim was made by Marat Berdyev, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large for G20 and APEC affairs. According to Berdyev, these efforts are designed to prevent Russia from assuming the leadership role within the forum. The situation highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western powers on the international stage. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported these developments via a statement to Sputnik. The outcome of the bid remains a point of contention among the forum's diverse membership. This pressure campaign reflects the broader geopolitical struggle currently influencing multilateral organizations.