Tilana, Albania--- Leaders of 47 European countries and organizations will gather in the Albanian capital on Friday for a one-day summit to discuss security and defense challenges across the continent and the agenda for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The theme of European Political World (EPC) in Tilana is "New Europe in the New World: Solidarity - Cooperation - Joint Action". The gatherings will also address ways to improve the competitiveness of the continent and address unauthorized immigration.

However, EPC will also be an environment where leaders meet bilaterally or in small groups to address major security issues. The inaugural summit in Prague in 2022 brought rare talks between leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to ease tensions between long-term rivals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is one of the leaders of the event held by Tilana. On the eve of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Zelenskyy's proposal to face-to-face ceasefire with Moscow in Turkey.

Last weekend, Zelenskyy hosted French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kiev, where they collectively called for an end to the 30-day hostilities.

"As Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues, the consequences have far exceeded Ukraine's borders, reversed our security and tested our collective resilience," Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and European Council President Anturnio Costa wrote in their invitation letter to the EPC summit.

The last summit hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was a keen supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, who may have attracted attention and opportunities after Trump’s re-election.

Rama's Council Socialist Party won the parliamentary elections in Albania on May 11, attracting voters who support the country's long and somewhat arduous efforts to join the EU. The vote was awarded Rama's fourth term.

The Prime Minister said the summit was a sense of pride for Albania and also "the motivation for further inspiration and motivation."

His Socialist Party said it could offer EU membership within five years.

The EPC Forum is Macron’s creative idea and supported by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, aiming to promote security and prosperity throughout the African continent. But critics claim they are trying to put the brakes on the EU expansion side.

The first summit in 2022 involves 27 EU member states, aspiring Balkans and Eastern European partners, and neighbors like the UK – the only country leaving the EU and Türkiye.

Russia is a major European power invited along with its neighbor and supporter Belarus, a neighbor and supporter in the Ukrainian war.

The next EPC meeting will be held in Denmark later this year.

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Lorne Cook reports on Brussels.