Godollo, Hungary – The leaders of four Central European nations met in Hungary on Tuesday to revive their regional alliance, signaling a new phase after tensions triggered by former leader Viktor Orbán’s pro‑Russian position had strained the bloc.
Prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia convened the Visegrád Four’s first summit in over two years, bridging gaps that had widened following Orbán’s stance on the Ukraine war, especially with Poland.
The summit, hosted at Grassalkovich Castle in Gödöllő, a suburb of Budapest, was led by Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who succeeded Orbán in May and has repeatedly emphasized revitalizing the group.
During a press conference after a one‑hour meeting, Magyar announced plans to develop a high‑speed rail corridor linking the four capitals and highlighted joint efforts on energy security, agricultural policy and managing illegal immigration.
“The V4 is back,” Magyar said. “The heart of Europe is beating in Central Europe today.”
Magyar, whose Tisza party won a two‑thirds majority in April’s parliamentary election, pledged to abandon his predecessor’s obstructionist EU strategy and to pursue a foreign policy rooted in constructive cooperation while safeguarding Hungary’s interests.
He also urged expanding V4 collaboration to a broader group and for the bloc to become a strong, credible voice in EU decision‑making.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed Magyar’s call for pre‑European Council coordination, noting the V4 could act as a ‘beacon of hope’ that presents a unified front in shaping EU policy.
Magyar’s victory signaled a pivot in Hungary’s Ukraine policy. Within weeks, his administration negotiated with Kyiv to restore rights for Hungarian minorities in western Ukraine and removed Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s EU accession process.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, both long‑time allies of Orbán, have followed his lead by cutting weapons and financial support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s full‑scale invasion.
Nonetheless, Babiš expressed optimism, declaring the V4 is “once again fully operational.”
“These four countries are the future of Europe,” Babiš remarked.
Hungary currently chairs the V4’s rotating presidency, which it will hand to Slovakia at month’s end.
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