Visegrád Group – On 13-14 October, the chiefs of staff of the Visegrád Four – generals Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi (Hungary), Rajmund T. Andrzejczak (Poland), Daniel Zmeko (Slovakia), and Aleš Opata (Czechia) – met in Balatonakarattya on the shores of Lake Balaton, Hungary, where they discussed new security challenges in Europe and how to respond to them.
Military cooperation within the V4 and cooperation with Ukraine
The first day of this military summit (13 October) was devoted to cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe beyond the Visegrád Group, as a Ukrainian delegation led by General Valery Zaluhnyi also took part in the work and discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation between the countries of the region in the area of defence, also addressing hybrid threats and cyberattacks.
Headquarters for the V4
On this occasion, the Visegrád Four’s chiefs of staff reiterated their commitment to the creation of a headquarters to support joint logistics among the four countries’ armed forces, within the framework of NATO.
“The armed forces of the V4 countries will continue to work together to create the safest possible environment for our citizens and for Europe as a whole”, said Hungarian Chief of Staff Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi.
Joint declaration
Finally, on 14 October, the V4 military chiefs signed a joint declaration aimed at strengthening Europe’s security and stability. Such a meeting of the chiefs of staff is not a first, and it is part of a multi-year effort to strengthen cooperation and synchronicity among the V4 armies, together with the development of a common policy favouring the region’s producers for the acquisition of military equipment.
