Ukraine urges European leaders to continue to delay Russia’s pace during truce negotiations
Tilana: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that his country is committed to ending the war with Russia, but that if President Vladimir Putin continues to speak in a speech aimed at ensuring a truce, he urged dozens of European leaders to strengthen sanctions.
Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in the Turkish port city of Istanbul within three years, but officials and observers expected them to make little immediate progress in the cessation of more than three years of war.
Zelenskyy told leaders to gather for summits in European political society. But he warned: “If the Russian delegation proves to be dramatic and there is no result today, the whole world must respond.”
He said the reaction should include “sanctions on Russia’s energy sector and banks.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer supported his call and said in a speech at the summit: “Russia is delaying foot and playing games.”
“We must be prepared to follow because if Russia does not come to negotiate, Putin must pay the price,” he said at a summit in Tirana, the capital of Albania.
European leaders criticized Putin’s decision not to meet Zelenskyy Zelenskyy’s remarks after Putin refused to attend face-to-face talks.
“I think Putin made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation,” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “The ball is obviously already on his court, on his court. He has to play. He has to take peace seriously.”
EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas said Putin was playing the game, which showed they were not serious about peace. ”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was clear that “President Zelensky is ready to meet, but President Putin never showed up, which shows his true belief. So we will increase the pressure.”
Von der Leyen said the EU is preparing for a new set of sanctions. She said the measures would target the shadow fleet of aging cargo ships Russia uses to bypass international sanctions and the Nord Stream Pipeline consortium.
Russia’s financial sector will also be targeted, she said. EU envoys have begun a new sanctions program for weeks, and the group’s foreign ministers can issue it immediately on Tuesday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed that efforts to reach an agreement on Ukraine must continue.
“I think … we must not throw towels. I think we have to stick with it, we have to stick with an unconditional ceasefire and a serious peace agreement that includes guarantees of security in Ukraine,” she said.
The summit is an opportunity for bilateral meetings, and the theme of the Tilana summit is “New Europe in the New World: Solidarity – Cooperation – Joint Action”. It is also planned to gather from leaders from about 50 countries and organizations to address ways to improve the competitiveness of the continent and address unauthorized immigration.
But the best thing about the summit is an environment where leaders meet bilaterally or in groups to address major security issues. The inaugural summit in Prague in 2022 brought rare talks between leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to ease tensions between long-term rivals.
The last summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was a keen supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, who may have attracted attention and opportunities after Trump’s re-election.
The leaders arrived at the central Skenderbeg Square in Tilana on a rainy morning and before entering the temporary conference hall, a brief performance was performed in the dancers’ folk costumes, established at the foot of the monument of Albanian national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbe, or Skenderbeg or Skanderbeg against Ottoman Empire.
After the election, Albania hosted a major summit, which came after the host ruler of the Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama won the May 11 parliamentary elections in Albania, attracting voters who supported the country’s long and somewhat noble efforts to join the EU. The vote was awarded Rama’s fourth term.
The Prime Minister said the summit was a sense of pride for Albania and also “the motivation for further inspiration and motivation.”
His Socialist Party said it could offer EU membership within five years.
The EPC Forum is Macron’s creative idea and supported by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, aiming to promote security and prosperity throughout the African continent. But critics claim they are trying to put the brakes on the EU expansion side.
The first summit in 2022 involves 27 EU member states, aspiring Balkans and Eastern European partners, and neighbors like the UK – the only country leaving the EU and Türkiye.
Russia is a major European power invited along with its neighbor and supporter Belarus, a neighbor and supporter in the Ukrainian war.
The next meeting will be held in Denmark later this year.
