V4 Presidents Express Support for Ukraine and EU Enlargement
Trencin, 5 November (TASR) - At their meeting in Trencin on Thursday, the presidents of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries agreed on supporting a credible, ambitious and merit-based European Union (EU) enlargement policy as a strategic investment in peace, security and the global position of Europe, while also expressing support for Ukraine, its sovereignty, territorial integrity, European future and right to defend itself against Russian aggression, TASR learnt from the President's Office on the same day.
In a joint declaration, the presidents called for a just and lasting peace in accordance with international law, stressing that affordable, secure and reliable energy is essential for Europe's competitiveness.
The main talks at the Visegrad Group (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) presidential summit began at Trencin Castle on Thursday morning. Czech President Petr Pavel, Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Hungarian head of state Andras Baka arrived in Trencin at the invitation of Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. The summit is being held in an expanded format, with the participation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to the presidents, a united Europe is capable of acting decisively and is essential for ensuring peace, prosperity and stability across the continent. In a joint declaration, Pellegrini, Pavel, Nawrocki and Baka expressed their support for EU enlargement.
"The accession process must remain fair, rigorous and predictable, while rewarding tangible progress and reforms," they stated, adding that the V4 countries, drawing on their own experience, are ready to support candidate countries via practical cooperation and the International Visegrad Fund.
On Ukraine, the leaders stressed the need to continue political, financial, humanitarian, economic and military assistance, while respecting the security and defence policy and the interests of all EU-member states. According to them, Ukraine's European integration should be based on implementing the necessary reforms and the country's reconstruction. In this regard, the V4 is ready to contribute via practical cooperation and regional expertise.
At the meeting the presidents also discussed energy issues, agreeing that the EU must address high energy prices through coordinated measures at both European and national level, combining immediate assistance with long-term solutions. They called for investments in energy infrastructure, cross-border interconnectors, energy storage and diverse energy sources, including nuclear energy and other low-carbon technologies.
"We're convinced that EU enlargement and support for Ukraine, as well as affordable and secure energy, are interlinked strategic priorities," the presidents stressed in the declaration.
