EU summit in Tirana: enlargement, war in Ukraine and the relationship with the UK at the top of the agenda
European leaders meet in Tirana to discuss enlargement, war in Ukraine and relations with the UK
From our correspondent Beda Romano
2' min read
2' min read
TIRANA - For the sixth time since it saw the light of day in 2022, the European Political Community, the forum grouping the countries of the European Union together with those of the wider neighbourhood, will meet today, Friday 16 May. In all, some 40 national leaders will converge on Albania's capital. They will discuss enlargement, the war in Ukraine, the UK's future relationship with the EU and regional cooperation.
As fate would have it, the meeting takes place on the day after the failed meeting in Istanbul of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the Turkish city discussions (it is difficult to speak of negotiations) between second-ranking representatives of the two governments will continue today. The goal should be to reach a 30-day cease-fire three years after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Kiev appears willing, Moscow is stalling.
"The citizens of Ukraine and around the world have paid the price for Vladimir Putin's aggression in Ukraine and across Europe, now he must pay the price for refusing peace," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement last night. "Together with the US and over 30 other partners, we have been clear that we will not tolerate Russia postponing the ceasefire (...) If Moscow is unwilling to sit at the negotiating table, Putin will have to pay the price."
In the negotiations of the last few days, the Twenty-Seven have appeared to be on the sidelines of political initiatives. The member states diplomatically approved the 17th sanctions package against Russia on Wednesday, a package that is expected to be taken up by the foreign ministers next week. In the event of a failed ceasefire, the EU is ready for new and more drastic sanctions measures, possibly together with President Donald Trump's US.
On the EU enlargement front, the candidate countries, let us recall, are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey. Concretely, the countries closest to joining the EU are those of the Western Balkans, and in particular Albania and Montenegro. In recent years they have made many efforts to absorb the acquis communautaire. Tirana and Podgorica hope to enter between 2028 and 2030.
