Defence Ministers agree on strengthening V4 military cooperation

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Slovak Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák, Czech Defence Minister Jaromír Zuna and Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz agreed that in the future, they would invite representatives of the member states of the V4 cooperation to all military exercises conducted in the areas of their states.

Furthermore, they agreed to attend this year’s NATO Summit in Ankara with a joint position, which includes the establishment of north-south logistic systems, among others, fuel supply lines in the interest of strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. They also agreed that a strong V4 cooperation means a secure Europe as well.

Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi: V4 defence ministerial cooperation has been revived

“I can tell you that the V4 defence ministerial cooperation has been revived” – emphasized Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi at a press conference held after the Visegrád Group (V4) defence ministers’ meeting.

The minister called it a major step forward that a little more than a month after the new Hungarian government was formed, the defence ministers of V4 countries have already been visiting Hungary.

Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi stated that it was easy to put together the topics on the agenda of the meeting, because the participants agree on everything. According to him, he and his Polish, Czech and Slovak ministerial counterparts discussed, among others, threats from the east and the south, the dangers of illegal migration, the strengthening of the defence industry and the Russo-Ukrainian War. In connection with the latter, he said that in addition to discussing the current situation, they also agreed that even following a ceasefire and the attainment of peace, the security of the V4 region needs to be dealt with cooperatively, in line with shared interests.

Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi recalled that when Hungary had started to build a system of defences during the 2015 migrant wave, the V4 partner countries had sent their troops, policemen and equipment without any external pressure.

He underlined that “I believe in the V4 cooperation”, adding that the V4 was strong back then and it is strong now, too. “While conducting various missions in the training areas, in the air and on the ground, our service members can always count on each other, and I am convinced that this trust factor “has now been elevated to the political level”. c

The minister also underscored that Hungary will do everything to make sure that the V4 defence cooperation “shines brightly again”. He also noted that the message the V4 countries will bring to the NATO Summit is the same for each of them, because they are jointly better able to “make their voice heard” than separately.

Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi called it important that there be a proper link in military transportation among the V4 partners, and that they participate in each other’s military exercises in the interest of getting to know each other’s procedures.

The minister also said that during the term of the upcoming Slovak presidency, they would like to invite the chairmen of the military secret services of V4 countries and establish personal contact with them.

Speaking at the press conference, Robert Kaliňák emphasized that the member states are calling for the soonest possible end of the war in Ukraine. At the same time, they consider it necessary to prepare for the period coming after the conclusion of peace. He added that based on the experience of the Yugoslav War, organized crime and arms smuggling are on the rise after the armistice.

In what followed, he expressed his conviction that the V4 member states can make significant contributions to the security of NATO and the EU, which requires the joint development of defence industry, including, among others, counterdrone systems.

To achieve this, they are making arrangements for organizing a defence industry day coupled with the next V4 meeting to be held in Slovakia.

Jaromír Zuna emphasized that the government of the Czech Republic and he himself considers the V4 cooperation a priority, as it is a significant actor within the framework of NATO and the EU, and the revival of this cooperation is also essential from the points of view of defence and security. “We have a shared history, and our security interests are also shared in the whole region” – said the Czech politician.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz expressed his joy over the successful reactivation of the V4, because there is a need for even closer integration among the member states.

All the more so, because these four states ensure the most secure living circumstances for their citizens in Europe and are successfully combating illegal migration as well. He went on saying that Poland, for example, has successfully stopped the influx of migrants along the Belarusian border.

Based on the above, the cooperation may become a beacon for Europe as a whole – said Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.