Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Tirana this evening. He will take part in the European Political Community Summit, held in the Albanian capital on Friday.

Minister of Defence Pirro Vengu welcomed him at Mother Teresa International Airport. Zelensky flew in from Turkey, where he met earlier today with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Friday, Istanbul will host talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations.

Several leaders arrived in Tirana earlier, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Montenegro President Jakov Milatovic, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, and European Council President António Costa. Costa held a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Other arrivals include Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Zeljka Cvijanovic, and North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

“In Tirana for the European Political Community meeting. The first in the Western Balkans. A powerful symbol. Our European family of values goes beyond EU borders. We share a continent. And a common future,” Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.

Tirana will host 47 European leaders for the 6th EPC Summit. Prime Minister Rama and Council President Costa will lead the summit in Skanderbeg Square under the theme: “A New Europe in a New World: Unity, Cooperation, Joint Action”.

/a.p./