Thewesternbalkans.
As it was decided during the last meeting of the EPC, on 16 of May in Tirana, Albania was hosting the sixth summit of the European Political Community (EPC), bringing together 47 heads of state and government from across the continent. It marks the first time the forum is being held in the Western Balkans.
The theme of the summit in Tirana was “New Europe in a new world: unity — cooperation — joint action.” The gathering of leaders from about 50 nations and organizations was also scheduled to address ways to improve the continent’s competitiveness and tackle unauthorized migration.
Among those attending were Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
From international groups or organizations, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset were all attending.
During the meeting central theme was Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country is committed to ending the war with Russia but he urged dozens of European leaders to ramp up sanctions if President Vladimir Putin continues to play for time in talks aimed at securing a truce.
“Ukraine is ready to take all realistic steps to end this war,” Zelenskyy told leaders gathered for a summit, but he warned: “If it turns out that the Russian delegation really is just theatrical and can’t deliver any results today, the world must respond.”
That reaction, he said, should include “sanctions against Russia’s energy sector and banks.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed his call, saying in a summit speech that “Russia is dragging its feet and playing games.”
“We must be prepared to follow through because if Russia won’t come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price,” he said, at the summit in the Albanian capital, Tirana.
“I think Putin made a mistake by sending a low level delegation,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said as he arrived for the summit under a steady drizzle. “The ball is clearly in his part of the field now, in his court. He has to play ball. He has to be serious about wanting peace,” Rutte added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was ready to bring forward fresh sanctions hitting Russian oil exports and its financial sector.
In doorstep remarks, Kallas and von der Leyen said the EU would start working on a new package of sanctions on Russia.
“This package will include, for example, sanctions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. It will include working on listing more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet, and also lowering the oil price cap, and it would include more sanctions on the financial sector in Russia,” von der Leyen explained.
The summit comes after the governing Socialist Party of the host, Prime Minister Edi Rama, won Albania’s 11 May parliamentary elections attracting voters who support the country’s effort to join the European Union. The vote secured a fourth term for Rama.
The Albanian prime minister said that the summit is a point of pride for Albania, and an “inspiration and motivation to continue further on and the Socialist Party can deliver EU membership in five years.”
In a sweeping philosophical address Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama cited one of the earliest proposals for a united Europe: an 18th-century plan by the French diplomat and philosopher Abbe de Saint-Pierre.
The speech offered a contrast between two Europe: one defined by militarization and fear, and another rooted in enlightenment, human reason, and a belief in the humanity of one’s enemies – even historical ones.
“The enemies of peace should not drag us into the glorification of weapons,” he warned. “While we rightfully think about the Europe of resistance, defence and new military capabilities, we must not forget the other Europe – the Europe of enlightenment … and the quest for perpetual peace, not just among ourselves, but even with our enemies.”
As global conflicts have surged and security has become a top agenda for the international community, a fairer system and transformation is needed in Europe and globally, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday.
“As the European continent, we must start transformation at home based on principles of indivisible security, fairer distribution of prosperity,” Erdoğan said.
The next meeting will take place in Denmark later this year.
Comments: The EPC forum is Macron’s brainchild, and was backed by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, aiming to boost security and prosperity across the continent. But critics claimed it was an attempt by them to put the brakes on EU enlargement.
The 2022 inaugural summit involved the EU’s 27 member countries, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as neighbours like the U.K. — the only country to have left the EU — and Turkey.
Russia is the one major European power not invited, along with Belarus, its neighbour and supporter in the war with Ukraine.
The EPC is a very inclusive forum giving the possibility of leaders out of the EU not only to participate in the summits two times in the year, but also to share and defend their ideas and interests. And to say: “Well we are one of them”. But they are not.
