Keir Starmer (Photo: ERA/BETTY LAURA ZAPATA)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "must pay the price for avoiding peace". He said this before a meeting of the European political community in Albania on May 16,, reports Arab news.

"Putin's tactic of hesitating and stalling while continuing to kill and shed blood across Ukraine is (unacceptable)," he said .

The meeting of the European Political Society (EPS), which brings together members of the European Union and 20 other countries, will be held in the Albanian capital of Tirana on the same day as the talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations are scheduled to take place in Istanbul.

It is noted that the participants of the meeting in Tirana will "increase pressure on the Kremlin" after the Russian dictator did not arrive for talks in Turkey.

"A full, unconditional ceasefire must be agreed upon, and if Russia is unwilling to come to the table, Putin must pay the price," Starmer said .