Tirana hosts European Political Community Summit with 51 leaders in attendance

On Thursday and Friday, Tirana became the center of Europe as 51 heads of state and institutional leaders arrived for the sixth European Political Community (EPC) Summit, hosted for the first time in Albania and the Western Balkans.

The summit platform was built specifically for the event, right in the heart of Tirana and decorated entirely with artwork by Albanian children dedicated to the European Union. In a moment that drew laughter even from the sternest of participants, leaders were shown an AI-generated welcome video featuring each of them as babies saying “Welcome to Albania” in their native languages.

Why is this important: It was one of the most significant international events ever held in Albania, elevating the country’s diplomatic standing and role in European politics. Coming mere days after the elections, the Summit amounted to a full European endorsement of Edi Rama’s victory and fourth mandate.

Context: The summit featured full state protocol, heavy security, and intense media coverage. Prime Minister Edi Rama greeted each leader on a red carpet laid out at Skanderbeg Square.

Among those attending:

• European Council President Antonio Costa
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• French President Emmanuel Macron
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

A candid moment between Rama and the German chancellor was caught on camera. After congratulating Rama on his win, the chancellor, visibly surprised, held up four fingers and asked, “You got your fourth mandate?”

Rama gave a special welcome to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, whom he called “my Italian sister,” greeting her on his knees.

Focus on Ukraine and security: Ukraine and the increasing threat to European security dominated the summit’s first session. Moderating the roundtable, Rama opened his speech by referencing the leaders who had congratulated him for winning the elections, noting the pro-Europe message voters had sent.

Rama took a stance apart from the leaders of EU member states, who are increasing military funding, saying the focus should be elsewhere.

“We feel the need for a policy that redefines how we relate to each other and to the world. A policy that sees Europe as a shared soul that must be protected. And to do this, we must invest in the hearts and minds that carry that soul. Why not imagine an alliance of education, science, and artificial intelligence — an international alliance beyond weaponry? Let’s give Europe’s youth new businesses, better reasons to stay than just conversations about arms. Let’s give them a strong motivation to build and dream on European soil, rather than looking upward to chase their dreams. Our battle must be about what we can do for ourselves, our children, and our Europe.”

Defense takes over: The eight leaders who spoke afterward — from the EU Council to the heads of state of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Commission — all focused on defense.

Each of them pointed to Russia and Vladimir Putin as the party unwilling to pursue peace.

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine: “Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring true peace, and it’s important that the world maintains a firm stance. Our position — if the Russians refuse a full and unconditional ceasefire and an end to the killings, harsh sanctions must follow. Pressure on Russia must remain until it is ready to end the war.”

Emmanuel Macron, President of France: “By refusing a ceasefire and dialogue with Ukraine, Russia shows it does not want peace and is trying to buy time by continuing the war. We will continue to coordinate with our European partners, with the United States, and with the coalition of the willing to determine a joint response.”

Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany: “We spoke again with President Trump. We will continue to help Ukraine end the war. We will not give up.”

Antonio Costa, European Council President:
“We are imposing tough sanctions on Russia, package after package. We want a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and long-term security for all of Europe.”

Albania’s role in EU integration: Both Rama and key leaders emphasized Albania’s and the region’s importance to EU enlargement.

Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy: “We are gathered here in Tirana to build our shared future — our European future — in an era of mutual trust, with the goal of creating prosperity. And I have no doubt that we will succeed. If we want to build the new Europe in a new world, we cannot do it without the Western Balkans, without these people, without these states. Albania is Europe, like Italy. This is an important moment for the Albanian nation and for all of us. We are taking a step forward in the process of reuniting Europe. Enlargement brings new challenges, but I am convinced that the EU integration of the Western Balkans is in Europe’s best security interest.”

Outlooks on U.S. differ: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz took different views on relations with the U.S.

Macron advocated for the economic independence of the European market, made up of nearly 700 million people. Merz, on the other hand, emphasized the vital importance of the U.S. to Europe’s future.

U.S. President Donald Trump joined the summit virtually, holding a phone call with Zelensky, Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country holds the EU presidency.

Their conversation centered on the Istanbul negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations, which failed to produce a ceasefire.

Azerbaijan–Armenia dialogue: A notable positive development was the meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, held in Tirana. All leaders present recognized the importance of this dialogue as a foundation for a final peace agreement between the two historically hostile states.

Summit outcome: At the conclusion of the EPC summit, leaders agreed to establish a joint coordination team under the European Council President’s office.

In the final press conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Rama declared the summit a success.