KHAR Center’s Perspective
On May 16, 2025, the sixth summit of the European Political Community (EPC), held in Tirana, the capital of Albania, is considered one of the major turning points in terms of geopolitical stability, security, and economic coordination across the European continent. This summit turned into an essential platform where the leaders of 47 European countries came together to discuss the continent’s future, define strategic directions, and establish new diplomatic frameworks (European Political Community, 2025).
The summit was structured around four main themes: security and defense, economic resilience and competitiveness, migration and youth policy, and Europe’s role on the international stage. Particularly at a time when the war in Ukraine continues and the global energy transition is accelerating, European states emphasized the importance of closer cooperation in these four areas (European Political Community 2025).
The Security Agenda and Position Against Russia
At the core of the Tirana summit stood the ongoing war in Ukraine and Russia’s destabilizing policy in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly condemned Russia’s military aggression and called on European states to take stronger measures (Reuters 2025). During the summit, Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Commission was preparing the 28th package of sanctions against Russia. This package will target the energy sector, the so-called “shadow fleet,” and financial domains (AP News 2025).
These initiatives indicate that Europe is aiming to strengthen its security structure not only within NATO but also through independent platforms like the EU and EPC.
Europe’s Strategic Autonomy and the Problem of NATO Dependence
One of the key highlights of the summit was the critical discourse on Europe’s dependence on the United States for its security. President Macron reiterated the idea of “strategic autonomy,” stating that Europe cannot ensure its security solely based on NATO and U.S. support (European Western Balkans 2024).
This rhetoric reflects Europe’s desire to enhance its own military and political decision-making capabilities and suggests that the European Political Community could serve as a tool to achieve this goal.
Migration and the Role of Youth: Integration of Domestic Policy
The Tirana summit addressed not only geopolitical matters but also migration flows and the role of youth in Europe’s future development. Joint approaches to migration and strengthening border control mechanisms were among the stated goals (European Political Community 2025). In addition, concrete initiatives were proposed to improve young people’s digital skills, expand educational opportunities, and integrate them into the labor market.
This topic shows that European states recognize the need for coordination in the field of domestic policy to ensure long-term social and economic stability.
The European Political Community’s Tirana summit represents a step toward deeper integration in Europe’s security, energy, and migration policies. EPC summits enable political participation for non-EU countries, thereby expanding Europe’s geopolitical map and striving for political consensus. The Tirana meeting once again demonstrated that Europe does not intend to leave its destiny to superpowers—instead, it is preparing to take real steps to further strengthen its political and security sovereignty.
The Paradox of European Values
But how should we interpret the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev—accused by Europe of "authoritarian governance" and "systematic human rights violations," and even called a dictator by the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Theodoros Rousopoulos—at this summit? (Toplum TV 2025). Is this diplomatic engagement or a denial of values?
The European Political Community is primarily a political platform established to increase dialogue between the European Union and non-EU countries. However, the participation of authoritarian leaders like Ilham Aliyev raises valid questions about the selective application of European values.
Over the past five years, the Azerbaijani government has completely silenced political opposition and carried out systematic repression against journalists and political activists (Human Rights Watch 2023). In this context, Ilham Aliyev sitting at the same table with European leaders undermines the legitimacy and values of the summit.
In 2023 and 2024, the closure of independent media outlets, mass arrests of journalists, and the paralysis of NGOs within Azerbaijan were widely documented in international reports (Amnesty International 2024). These developments violate the European Convention on Human Rights and are unacceptable for a member of the Council of Europe.
Nevertheless, Aliyev’s participation in the summit and meetings with some European leaders lend an image of international legitimacy to this repressive regime. This is not only a betrayal of the Azerbaijani people but also a blow to Europe’s own commitment to its values.
In European politics, issues such as energy security and geopolitical balance are often prioritized over human rights concerns. The access of Azerbaijani gas to the European market and the country’s strategic location in the region lead to the application of double standards toward the Aliyev regime. This sacrifices the idea of a “value-based Europe” to extreme pragmatism.
Providing a platform at the summit for Azerbaijan’s authoritarian leader while Belarus’ leader Lukashenko remains isolated is a clear example of Europe’s selective approach. Ilham Aliyev seems to be Europe’s “sympathetic authoritarian.” These double standards damage trust internally and cast doubt on the ethical coherence of the EU’s foreign policy.
Cooperation or Lack of Ethics?
While the goal of the European Political Community is to form a common political space around European values, the participation of leaders like Ilham Aliyev empties this idea of meaning. Providing platforms to authoritarian regimes equates to legitimizing their internal repression. If the EPC truly intends to shape Europe’s future, this future must be based on value-driven and principled diplomacy—not pragmatic compromises.
References
AP News. (2025, May 16). European leaders agree on new Russia sanctions at Tirana summit. https://apnews.com/article/d93418ccf6c795cbeb3d28de6c13bf49
European Political Community. (2025). 6th European Political Community Summit – Tirana. European Council. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2025/05/16/
European Western Balkans. (2024, November 8). Macron: Europe can no longer rely on the US for its security. https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2024/11/08/european-political-community-summit-in-budapest-security-of-europe-can-no-longer-rely-on-us/
Toplum TV. 2025. “AŞPA Prezidenti: ‘Biz Nə İlham Əliyevdən, Nə Də Özünü Diktator Kimi Aparanlardan Qorxuruq.’” Toplum TV. https://toplummedia.tv/siyaset/paspa-prezidenti-ldquobiz-ne-ilham-eliyevden-ne-de-oumlzuumlnuuml-diktator-kimi-aparanlardan-qorxuruqrdquop.
Reuters. (2025, May 16). EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen says. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-readying-new-sanctions-increase-pressure-russia-von-der-leyen-says-2025-05-16/
Amnesty International. (2024). Azerbaijan 2023/24: Repression Without Limits. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/europe-and-central-asia/azerbaijan/report-azerbaijan/
Freedom House. (2024). Nations in Transit 2024 – Azerbaijan. https://freedomhouse.org/country/azerbaijan/nations-transit/2024
Human Rights Watch. (2023). World Report 2023: Azerbaijan. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/azerbaijan
