Cooperation within the Visegrad Group

”In recent months, some people have looked at us through the prism of what makes us different. However, we have come to the unequivocal conclusion that we should look at how much we need each other and how much we are united by many topics”, the Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki emphasised.

The meeting of the Prime Ministers of Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary in Košice was an opportunity to talk with our close neighbours about topics that jointly concern our countries. Today, these are primarily strategic security topics – the fight against the energy crisis, support for Ukraine, strengthening defense and securing our countries against illegal migration.  The format of the Visegrad Group has already shown its effectiveness and potential in building common positions around the interests of our region. Each meeting of the Visegrad Group is a positive conclusion and constructive conclusions. Poland will actively engage in further activities in this format on many levels.

Hungary has pledged to ratify NATO enlargement to include Finland and Sweden

During the talks in Košice, the head of the Polish government asked Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to ratify NATO enlargement to include Sweden and Finland as soon as possible. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared that he will ensure that the Hungarian parliament completes the ratification process at its first meeting in the coming year. NATO enlargement is extremely important for strengthening the defence of our region, NATO's eastern flank, especially in the face of Russian imperialism.

”I asked Prime Minister Viktor Orban to ratify the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining NATO as soon as possible. I got that promise. There is a specific date. There is a commitment on the part of Hungary and I thank you very much for that”, said the Head of the Polish Government.

Russia is resorting to gross terrorism in Ukraine

Russia is attacking Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure in a barbaric and desperate manner. The Kremlin wants to cut off defenseless civilians from electricity, heat or running water.

”These coming months may be very difficult as winter is coming. The Russians are deliberately bombing energy infrastructure, depriving people in Ukraine of electricity and heat, leading to a humanitarian disaster”, said Mateusz Morawiecki after his meeting with the Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

We should jointly assess the needs in order to provide the necessary financial and humanitarian assistance. We must also speak with a common voice in the EU forum in order to direct European support towards our countries.

Poland as a safe home for refugees from Ukraine

The Head of the Polish Government noted that the coming winter would require our readiness to take responsibility for helping thousands of Ukrainian citizens who will potentially have to take refuge in Europe during the winter. Our countries must be ready to help more refugees in the near future. We are clearly presenting the situation that Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are taking on a huge burden and costs of aid to Ukraine: we need a responsible attitude and unequivocal financial support from the European Union. Today, more than ever, European solidarity must be shown and supported by concrete action. This is what our citizens expect from Europe.

”The European Commission should give much more help to the countries, including our Visegrad Group, which have incurred a considerable cost. We have made a huge effort to help Ukraine and Ukrainians survive these first few months of the war”, said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

The Visegrad Group supports Polish proposals for solutions in energy issues

”The Visegrad Group has permanently inscribed itself in the architecture of European security. Not only do we deal with economic matters and economic, tourist, cultural or social cooperation; today we also focus primarily on the subject of military and energy security”, the Head of the Polish Government emphasised.

As part of the talks, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki presented how important it was to strive for energy independence, particularly independence from Russian raw materials. Russia is not a reliable partner – either strategically or morally –  so Europe cannot rely on Russian gas or coal supplies. The Visegrad Group presents a common position on this issue and will support each other on the EU forum in implementing possible solutions to the energy crisis.

The European Commission's current proposals on this subject are clearly insufficient. Poland, together with the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, is clearly in favour of bolder and more effective solutions. Together, we agree that the European Union must freeze carbon prices (ETS) and introduce a maximum cap on the price of gas at a lower level than what is proposed today by the European Commission.

Migration – a common challenge

We are talking about possible improvements in the protection of the European Union's external borders and ways to reduce migratory pressure. This is an issue on which we have common views and we are working hand in hand to ensure the security of our citizens as well as that of the Schengen area as a whole. The Prime Minister referred to the hybrid attack on our borders successfully repelled by Poland last year and stressed that we must not lose our vigilance. We have defended ourselves against the Lukashenko regime and the Kremlin’s attempt to destabilise us, and we have secured our border by building physical safeguards.

 "Today, we have more peace on our eastern flank. However, we know that further waves of migration from the south are threatening to shatter this peace. We fully support Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Serbia in their efforts to defend their external borders as sovereign states must be able to protect their external borders”, said the Head of the Polish Government.