European 'community' meets in face of Russia's war

Leaders from Ukraine, Britain and Turkey joined their EU counterparts  for an inaugural summit of the "European Political Community" aimed at bringing the continent together in the face of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The gathering in Prague -- a brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron -- has been billed by Brussels as a "platform for political coordination" for the 44 nations attending.

But there are deep disagreements -- and even open conflict -- among some of the participants and scepticism that the one-day event will only be a photo opportunity.

Those meeting in the historic Prague Castle also include the leaders of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland.

"It sends first of all a message of unity," Macron said as he arrived for the summit.

"The objective is first of all to share a common reading of the situation affecting our Europe and also to build a common strategy."

Russia, which is not invited, will loom over the meeting as discussions focus on the economic and security turmoil from its invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

"The whole European continent is here, except two countries, Belarus and Russia. So it shows how isolated those two countries are."

Despite the rhetoric there are expected to be few concrete results from the summit.