Speaking from Tirana during the European Political Community summit, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed that he and other European leaders, along with U.S. President Donald Trump, agreed that Russia’s position in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine is “clearly unacceptable.”
Starmer stated that after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a joint phone call was held with President Trump to discuss the developments in the direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which took place earlier on Friday in Istanbul—the first face-to-face negotiations since 2022.
“We just had a meeting with President Zelensky, followed by a phone call with President Trump to discuss today’s developments in the negotiations, and Russia’s stance is clearly unacceptable,” Starmer told reporters.
He confirmed that leaders of France, Germany, and Poland were also aligned with the joint decision reached with Trump, emphasizing a coordinated Western response is underway.
According to reports, the Istanbul talks concluded after less than two hours. Ukrainian officials accused the Kremlin of introducing new and “unacceptable” demands, including a large-scale withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from key regions.
Earlier, Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to ending the war but urged European leaders to toughen sanctions on Moscow if President Vladimir Putin continues to stall the ceasefire process.
“If it turns out the Russian delegation is just putting on a theatrical performance without any serious intent, the world must respond,” Zelensky said. He called for sanctions targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors.
Starmer backed Zelensky’s warning in his own address at the summit, saying, “Russia is stalling and playing games.”
“We must be prepared to act. If Russia refuses to take its seat at the negotiating table, then Putin must pay the price,” Starmer concluded from the Albanian capital.
