"United we stand, divided we fall " – V4 heads of state summit in Pozsony (Bratislava)
The Visegrád Four Heads of State Summit showed that despite their differences, the member countries still have a common message for Europe and the world. The meeting in Pozsony (Bratislava) focused on the war in Ukraine, aid for refugees, the energy crisis, energy independence, the attack on Nord Stream, the legitimacy of nuclear energy and mass illegal migration.
Katalin Novák, President of Hungary, said that the aim is to achieve a just peace as soon as possible, so that Europe can remain an island of peace. She added that the participants condemned the armed invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign independent country, Putin's aggression and attacks against civilians. She recalled the declaration issued on the initiative of Poland, joined by eleven heads of state, condemning the massive Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities, which is considered a war crime under international law. She added that she was proud of the Hungarian people for having helped, sheltered and housed refugees from Ukraine from the very first day of the war without thinking twice.
Speaking about the energy crisis in Europe, the rise in energy prices and energy dependency, the Hungarian Head of State called the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines unacceptable and said that the V4 countries are calling for an urgent investigation into the incident.
According to Katalin Novák, the threats and pressures from illegal immigration and other causes require a strong joint response from the V4 countries.
"United we stand, divided we fall!" - stressed Katalin Novák.
Slovak President Zuzána Caputová reiterated that three of the V4 countries are also providing military assistance to Ukraine, but this only means that they have chosen a different path to achieve peace, the ultimate goal. Hungary's position is different, which they acknowledge. The Slovakian Head of State said there are areas where V4 cooperation is vital and will continue in the future, respecting each other's positions.
Czech President Miloš Zeman underlined that "Visegrád has already proved its importance by preventing attempts to distribute illegal migrants among European countries". He called on his fellow presidents to enlarge the V4 so that Slovenia could become a member as soon as possible.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said it was gratifying that the serious issues on the agenda were discussed in an open and frank manner in a friendly group. He stated that "we know what Russian aggression means, we know what it means to fear Russian terror. We do not want to accept that Russian aggression will continue to spread in our region", he added. The Polish President stressed that by working together, the V4 will endure through the high inflation and the extensive crisis caused by the rise in global energy prices.