Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended the Visegrád Group Heads of Government Summit in Prague on 27 February 2024.

The Visegrád Group Is Alive — Takeaways from the V4 Summit

While it is evident that the parties do not share the same perspective on the Ukrainian question, this difference of opinions could be overcome by concentrating on common interests in other areas. Although embarking on this path requires compromises and the harmonization of interests, with no particular policy proposal in that regard adopted at this time, the summit had symbolic significance, sending the message that the V4 alliance is still relevant.

PM Orbán: ‘Visegrád is alive!’

The V4 countries convened for a summit on 27 February, a gathering of paramount importance regarding the future trajectory of cooperation. The leaders of the allied states reached a unanimous agreement on the necessity to uphold cooperation in areas of common interests, notwithstanding differences of opinion.

Italian deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini (3rdR) stands on stage with German co-leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD) Tino Chrupalla (2ndR), member of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) Harald Vilimsky (4thR), Head of Czech Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) Tomio Okamura (5thR) and the head of Bulgarian party Revival, Kostadin Kostadinov at the end of a convention of the EP leaders of the ID on 3 December 2023 at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.

Populism, Conservatism and Europe’s Electoral Politics: The Post-Covid Dilemmas of the European Right

‘2023 in fact demonstrated, if demonstration were needed, that a deep social, political, and ideological cleavage now divides electorates across Europe, separating progressive, educated, urban, middle class and younger voters from the alienated rural, working class and older conservative voters living outside the fashionable urban centres. This cleavage was dramatically evident in election results in Spain, Slovakia, Poland, and Holland in the course of 2023.’

EU Member States Hide Behind Hungary on Russian Nuclear Sanctions

According to a recent POLITICO article, EU member states should impose sanctions on Russian nuclear energy, but Hungary’s opposition makes this impossible. Meanwhile, several states in the EU are cooperating with Russian nuclear energy companies, hiding behind Hungary’s veto, and acting behind the scenes to protect their interests.

Visegrád Leaders to Meet Next Week — Is Cooperation Back on Track After Estrangement?

The first V4 summit of the year is scheduled for 27 February, with a focus on illegal migration, energy security, and the EU’s strategic objectives. After the estrangement caused by the war in Ukraine, cooperation seems to be back on track, but its future will largely depend on the willingness and ability of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to collaborate.