European leaders have agreed with US President Donald Trump that Russia's position in ceasefire talks with Ukraine is unacceptable and they intend to coordinate a response, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Starmer spoke from Albania's capital, Tirana, where leaders of dozens of European countries were gathered for the European Political Community, or EPC, summit attended by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Europe should 'put pressure on Putin', Britain's Healey says after E5 meeting in Rome. – Reuters

"We just had a meeting with President Zelensky and then a phone call with President Trump to discuss the developments in the negotiations today, and the Russian position is clearly unacceptable," Starmer told reporters.

"As a result of that meeting with President Zelensky, under discussion with President Trump, we are now closely aligning and coordinating our responses and will continue to do so," he said.

He said that the decision with Trump was also agreed on with the leaders of France, Germany and Poland.

Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks since the early weeks of Moscow's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022.

'More sanctions on Russia's financial sector' to come, EU's Von der Leyen says. – Reuters

The talks, which were held in Turkey, ended after less than two hours, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and a Ukrainian official.

Kyiv accused the Kremlin of introducing new "unacceptable demands" to withdraw Ukrainian forces from huge swaths of territory, according to the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to make official statements.

French President Emmanuel Macron said it was "unacceptable that, for a second time, Russia hasn't responded to the demands made by the Americans, supported by Ukraine and the Europeans. No ceasefire, and therefore no meeting at a decision-making level. And no response."

Macron added: "We will continue to coordinate with our European partners – the coalition of the willing – and the United States. There will be new contacts and feedback in the coming hours."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: "The diplomatic efforts that we have made so far have unfortunately failed because of Russia's lack of readiness to take the first steps in the right direction now.

"But we will not give up; we will continue and we will coordinate well on the European side, together with the Americans."

'The world must respond'

Earlier, Zelensky had said Ukraine is committed to ending the war, but urged dozens of European leaders to ramp up sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to play for time in talks aimed at securing a truce.

"Ukraine is ready to take all realistic steps to end this war," Zelensky told leaders at the European summit. But he warned: 

"If it turns out that the Russian delegation really is just theatrical and can't deliver any results today, the world must respond."

That reaction, he said, should include "sanctions against Russia's energy sector and banks."

Starmer backed his call, saying in a summit speech that "Russia is dragging its feet and playing games."

"We must be prepared to follow through because if Russia won't come to the negotiating table, Putin must pay the price," he said.

Some European leaders pressed for fresh sanctions. The European Union is likely to adopt a new round of measures as soon as next week.

'Putin made a mistake'

Zelensky's remarks came after Putin declined to attend face-to-face talks in Istanbul.

"I think Putin made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation," NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said as he arrived for the summit under a steady drizzle. 

"The ball is clearly in his part of the field now, in his court. He has to play ball. He has to be serious about wanting peace."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that it was clear that "President Zelensky was ready to meet but President Putin never showed up, and this shows his true belief. So we will increase the pressure."

Von der Leyen said that the EU is preparing a new package of sanctions. She said that the measures will target the shadow fleet of aging cargo vessels that Russia is using to bypass international sanctions and the Nord Stream pipeline consortium.

Russia's financial sector would also be targeted, she said.

Leaders pose for a family photo at the start of the summit. – Reuters

EU envoys have been working on the new sanctions package for several weeks, and the bloc's foreign ministers could enact them next week.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni stressed that efforts to reach a deal on Ukraine must continue.

"I think ... that we must not throw in the towel. I think we must insist, we must insist for an unconditional ceasefire and a serious peace agreement that includes guarantees of security for Ukraine," she said.

Summit a chance for bilateral meetings

The theme of the summit in Tirana was "New Europe in a new world: unity – cooperation – joint action." The gathering of leaders from about 50 nations and organizations was also addressing ways to improve the continent's competitiveness and tackle unauthorized migration.

But the summit best serves as a setting for leaders to meet bilaterally, or in small groups, to weigh in on major security issues. The inaugural summit in Prague in 2022 saw the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia holding rare talks in an effort to ease tensions between the longtime adversaries.

Italy's PM Meloni urges persistence in seeking serious Ukraine peace agreement. – Reuters

The last summit, hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an ardent supporter of Trump, was dominated by the concerns and opportunities that might arise in the wake of Trump's reelection.

The leaders arrived in Tirana's central Skanderbeg Square on a rainy morning and were greeted by a brief performance by dancers in folk costumes before heading into the temporary conference hall, set up at the foot of a monument to Albania's national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu, or Skanderbeg, who fought against the Ottoman Empire.

Albania hosts forum days after election

The summit comes after the governing Socialist Party of the host, Prime Minister Edi Rama, won Albania's May 11 parliamentary election, attracting voters who support the country's long and somewhat uphill effort to join the EU.

The vote secured a fourth term for Rama.

UK PM Starmer says 'Putin is not serious about peace' as leaders gather for European summit. – Reuters

The prime minister said that the summit is a point of pride for Albania, and an "inspiration and motivation to continue further on."

His Socialist Party says it can deliver EU membership in five years.

The EPC forum is Macron's brainchild, and was backed by former German chancellor Olaf Scholz, aiming to boost security and prosperity across the continent.

But critics claimed it was an attempt by them to put the brakes on EU enlargement.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, left, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron, who came up with the EPC concept. – AP

The 2022 inaugural summit involved the EU's 27 member countries, aspiring partners in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, as well as neighbours like Britain – the only country to have left the EU – and Turkey.

Russia is the one major European power not invited, along with Belarus, its neighbour and supporter in the war with Ukraine.

The next meeting will take place in Denmark later this year.