British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a firm rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of a major European summit on Friday, declaring that Putin must “pay the price for avoiding peace” as the war in Ukraine drags on with no end in sight.
Starmer’s statement came as leaders from across the continent prepared to convene in Tirana, Albania, for the latest meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). The gathering, which includes European Union members and around 20 other nations, is aimed at strengthening cooperation in response to the continuing Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The timing of the summit coincides with a separate round of talks expected between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul.
However, hopes for meaningful progress remain low. Neither Putin nor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the Istanbul discussions, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already expressed doubts that the negotiations will lead to any significant breakthrough.
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In a strongly worded statement, Starmer condemned Putin’s strategy of delay and destruction, saying the Russian leader’s refusal to pursue genuine peace efforts is “intolerable.”
He warned that if Moscow continues to reject diplomatic solutions, the international community must act decisively. “A full, unconditional ceasefire must be agreed,” Starmer stated, “and if Russia is unwilling to come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price.”
The European Political Community, created in 2022 by French President Emmanuel Macron as a response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has become a key platform for coordinated European action on security and geopolitical stability.
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Friday’s meeting in Albania is expected to focus heavily on the war in Ukraine, with leaders pledging to ramp up pressure on the Kremlin following reports that Putin had snubbed U.S.-arranged peace talks in Istanbul a day earlier.
According to Downing Street, participants in the EPC summit will be united in their stance, seeking to tighten sanctions and increase diplomatic isolation of Russia unless it shows willingness to end hostilities.
One of the central targets in upcoming sanctions will be Russian energy exports, particularly in response to the Kremlin’s use of a so-called “shadow fleet” to evade existing restrictions.
Both the European Union and the United Kingdom announced new sanctions this week aimed at disrupting these clandestine oil operations. London made it clear that if Moscow fails to agree to a ceasefire, even broader measures targeting Russia’s energy sector would be rolled out in the coming weeks.
As the world watches for signs of progress in Istanbul, the message from Tirana is clear: patience with Moscow is wearing thin. With civilian lives still being lost and diplomatic avenues repeatedly undermined, European leaders are signaling that the cost of continued aggression will only rise for Putin’s regime.
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