European Political Community: The story of a “family” photograph with two resounding absences

At Prague the Summit of the European Political Community took place and the 43 leaders who attended had a “family” Photowhich was however marked by two absences.

This specific image was full of symbolism, as it was the coexistence of all the leaders of the Old Continent, the members of the European Union, those who left (Britain), the candidates for accession (Ukraine, Moldova, the Balkans…), and those who do not have such ambitions (Switzerland, Norway).

Absent from the invitation were Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian ally, Alexander Lukashenko, who supports Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

The EPK sends “a message of unity” and “strategic friendship”, said Emmanuel Macron. “Undoubtedly, it is an important message” to the Kremlin, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala commented.

The place was also symbolic, charged with history: the Prague of the Velvet Revolution of 1989 that paved the way for the collapse of the Soviet bloc and the USSR.

But the differences, even the tensions between the leaders, were also not hidden.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen entered the frame first, under the gothic dome of Vladislav Hall, in the heart of the imposing Prague Castle, where the dissident writer Vaclav Havel was proclaimed president of Czechoslovakia in 1989. Like Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, took her place on the edge, in the front row, sending the message that the European Union will not “hat” the new European Political Community.

French President Emmanuel Macron, the “father” of EPK, as he had the idea, in May, stood in the center, in the first row, between Fiala and the president of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades. A little further to the right, the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, who is criticized for frequent military conflicts with Armenia, seemed to be looking for someone to talk to. He exchanged a few words with Charles Michel, as did Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is also criticized by many European leaders.

Macron, who is seeking to find a solution to the crisis between Armenia and Azerbaijan, walked past Aliyev without speaking to him and shortly thereafter struck up a conversation with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also finally entered the room, taking a seat next to his ally, the president of Azerbaijan.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose stance on Ukrainian is often considered hesitant, discreetly took his place in the last row.