Starmer Condemns Putin’s Tactics, Calls for Ceasefire Ahead of EPC Summit

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of prolonging the Ukraine conflict through deliberate delays, stating that Putin “must pay the price for avoiding peace.” In a statement issued on Friday, May 16, 2025, ahead of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana, Albania, Starmer described Putin’s tactics of “dithering and delaying” while causing bloodshed as “intolerable.” The EPC, comprising EU members and 20 other nations, was initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to foster regional cooperation.

Concurrent with the summit, Russian and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to hold talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, aimed at ending the conflict. However, neither Putin nor Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed doubts about achieving a peace breakthrough. Starmer’s remarks follow Putin’s absence from U.S.-arranged peace talks in Istanbul on May 15, which Downing Street cited as evidence of Russia’s reluctance to negotiate.

Starmer urged a “full, unconditional ceasefire” and warned that Russia faces intensified sanctions if it refuses to engage. London indicated that Russian energy, particularly its “shadow” oil fleet, would be a primary target for new sanctions in the coming weeks, building on recent EU and UK measures approved on May 14. The EU’s 15th sanctions package and UK actions aim to curb Russia’s ability to circumvent export controls and fund its war efforts through illicit oil exports, which generate over $3 billion monthly, per Bloomberg reports.

The EPC summit, hosted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, will focus on pressuring the Kremlin, with discussions on energy security and support for Ukraine. Starmer’s call aligns with posts on X, where users like @GlasnostGone and @NOELreports highlight ongoing Russian aggression, including 120 glide bomb strikes in Ukraine’s Sumy region and attacks on Kharkiv. The Istanbul talks, mediated by Turkey, follow a May 15 agreement for mutual prisoner releases, but skepticism persists due to Russia’s rejection of a UN resolution for a ceasefire and its intensified drone and missile strikes, as reported by Reuters and The Guardian.