Ukraine Divisions Fade as Visegrád Leaders Reunite After Two-Year Rift

The leaders of the Visegrád Group (V4) gathered in Hungary on Tuesday for their first summit in more than two years, signaling an attempt to revive the Central European alliance after bitter divisions over Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar hosted Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Czech leader Andrej Babiš, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Gödöllő near Budapest, with Tusk declaring that “we are back” and predicting that “Europe will start listening” to the four nations again.

The V4 – comprising Poland, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia – saw relations deteriorate after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exposed stark differences in policy toward Moscow and Kyiv.

Poland under Tusk emerged as one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, while former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Fico faced criticism for their Moscow-friendly rhetoric.

Recent political changes, including Péter Magyar’s election victory over Orbán in April, have opened the door to renewed cooperation. Tusk said the bloc’s future depended on restoring “trust, mutual loyalty and sensitivity” among its members.

The Polish leader identified energy, migration and agriculture as common priorities, alongside the countries’ shared history and geography.

Other Topics of Interest

Von der Leyen to Visit Azerbaijan and Armenia as EU Pushes the Middle Corridor to Avoid Russia and Iran

Von der Leyen’s expected South Caucasus visit comes as the EU pushes secure routes bypassing Russia and Iran.

Magyar said the four governments aimed to deliver “tangible achievements,” pointing to plans for a high-speed rail network. Fico added that the leaders intend to coordinate positions ahead of European Council meetings through regular consultations.

The V4, founded after the fall of communism to help its members integrate into NATO and the EU, gained prominence during the 2015 migration crisis but became increasingly fractured over the war in Ukraine.

The latest summit marks the bloc’s most serious attempt yet to restore unity after years of tensions triggered by differing approaches to Russia and support for Kyiv.