France's President Emmanuel Macron, right, speaks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) British Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) British Prime Minister Liz Truss, center, arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, left, speaks with Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, speaks with Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala as she arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Latvia's Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, right, is greeted by Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala as he arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Liechtenstein's Prime Minister Daniel Risch arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, right, is greeted by Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala during arrival for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, right, during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, speaks with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, left, during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Leaders pose for a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, center, walks with other leaders after a group photo during meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, center, walks with other leaders after a group photo during meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center right, speaks with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, center left, after a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) France's President Emmanuel Macron, center, speaks with leaders after a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, speaks with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) British Prime Minister Liz Truss, top left, speaks with North Macedonia's Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski, top right, at a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) From left, British Prime Minister Liz Truss, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) France's President Emmanuel Macron, center, gestures to Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, second right, at a group photo during a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, shakes hands with Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic after a group photo during meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct 6, 2022. Leaders from around 44 countries are gathering Thursday to launch a "European Political Community" aimed at boosting security and economic prosperity across the continent, with Russia the one major European power not invited. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
PRAGUE (AP) — The leaders of 44 European countries stretching from Iceland all the way to Turkey met Thursday in what many said was a united stand against Russia's war on Ukraine, as an energy crisis and high inflation fueled by the conflict wreak havoc on their economies.
The inaugural summit of the European Political Community involves the 27 European Union member countries, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as neighbors like Britain — the only country to have left the EU — and Turkey.
Russia is the one major European power not invited, along with its neighbor and supporter in the war Belarus.
“What you will see here is that Europe stands in solidarity against the Russian invasion in Ukraine," Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir told reporters at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic, where the gathering was taking place.
Her Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, said “if you just look at the attendance here, you see the importance. The whole European continent is here, except two countries: Belarus and Russia. So it shows how isolated those two countries are.”
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the fallout from Russia's war on Ukraine is something they all have in common.
“It’s affecting all of us in the security sense, and its affecting all of us through our economies, through the rising energy costs. So the only way that we can handle this is working together, and not just the European Union. All the European countries need to work together,” he said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was in Prague for the meeting, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the leaders by video link.
“There are no representatives of Russia with us here — a state that geographically seems to belong to Europe, but from the point of view of its values and behavior is the most anti-European state in the world,” Zelenskyy said.
“We are now in a strong position to direct all possible powers of Europe to end the war and guarantee long-term peace,” he said. “For Ukraine, for Europe, for the world.”
The forum is the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron and is backed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They say it should aim to boost security and prosperity across the continent.
Critics claim the new forum is an attempt to put the brakes on EU enlargement. Others fear it may become a talking shop, perhaps convening once or twice a year but devoid of any real clout or content.
Europe’s leading human rights watchdog – The Council of Europe – seemed perplexed by the gathering. Spokesman Daniel Holtgen tweeted that the “European Political Community “is still to be defined.”
“In the field of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, such a pan-European community already exists: it is the Council of Europe,” he said.
Macron described the gathering as “an important moment.” The aim, he said, is to forge a common strategy to confront the challenges Europe faces. “Up until now, that did not really exist and could lead to divisions.”
Scholz called the new forum “a great innovation” because leaders can talk about their common concerns “free of a daily agenda and the need to reach agreements.” This would help improve ties with the EU's neighbors, "many of which want to to become members.”
He said the new European grouping is not about creating “a new institution with an administration, bureaucracy,” but instead a venue for heads of state and government to meet regularly.
Thursday's summit kicked off with an opening ceremony, and was followed by a series of meetings for the leaders to discuss the key challenges Europe faces: security, energy, climate, the dire economic situation, and migration.
No EU money or programs are on offer, and no formal declaration will be issued after the summit. The proof of its success is likely to be whether a second meeting ever actually takes place.
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Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report.
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