BUDAPEST, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Presidents of the Visegrad Group (V4) - Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic - reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation during a meeting on Wednesday in the Hungarian city of Esztergom.
The leaders exchanged views on regional security, energy cooperation and the future role of the V4, emphasizing that the format remains an important platform for addressing shared challenges.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the V4 partnership has deep historical roots and continues to operate across multiple fields, even though high-level meetings have been less frequent in recent years. He said Poland is ready to help strengthen regional energy security through gas interconnections supported by its Baltic Sea and LNG infrastructure.
Nawrocki noted that the four countries have undergone significant economic transformation, drawing growing interest from investors outside Europe. He said the V4 should continue to articulate its positions in European Union (EU) discussions on climate policy, migration and competitiveness.
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok said improving regional connectivity and competitiveness remains a key task for the V4. He noted that the region faces common challenges, including demographic trends and the green and digital transitions, and highlighted cooperation in scientific research.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said cooperation within the V4 remains constructive and called for joint efforts to address high energy prices and EU climate-related requirements.
Czech President Petr Pavel said the four economies are closely interconnected and that security cooperation and regular consultations remain essential. He also stressed the importance of education reforms to keep pace with technological developments, including artificial intelligence. ■
