The Role of the Visegrad Group in the European Security System (original) (raw)

Visegrad group’s solidarity in 2004–2014: tested by Ukrainian crisis

2014

The Visegrad Four made good progress from its creation in 1991 until 2014. The V4 countries achieved high standards in the field of human rights and democratic development, allowing them to join NATO and the EU. No less an important achievement of the group was the fact that it managed not only to create effective mechanisms for the exchange of experience, sharing of good practices and lessons learned but also to invent a sort of separate regional identity, distinguishing the group from the long line of countries expressing "European choice" as their priority. This success is even more impressive if the different sizes, numbers of inhabitants and international ambitions of the Visegrad countries are taken into account. In fact, it is a success story that is no less important than that of the Baltic states. However, the Baltic States were given much support by Scandinavian/Nordic countries whereas the Visegrad countries had to rely on themselves foremost and to a lesser extent on the United States -primarily regarding NATO-related issues.

Friends forever? The Role of the Visegrad Group and European Integration

The Visegrad Group celebrated its 25th anniversary in February 2016. Es‑ tablished as an initiative of three statesmen from the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, this cooperation has experienced booms and crises. The aim of this paper is to analyse the function of this regional integration in the years following the end of bipolar system as Visegrad Group members headed down the road to Euro ‑Atlantic integration. To this end, I apply different theoretical approaches and attempt to ex‑ plain the influence of key former politicians as well as new scenarios for the Visegrad Group's position in the European Union. This analysis also covers the latest foreign policy changes and challenges facing CEE due to the involvement of a wider region that creates a counter ‑balance to the core EU. Statistical data and official documents from the Visegrad Group's website strengthen these findings. The Visegrad cooperation celebrated its 25th anniversary in February 2016. This special type of regional cooperation was established by the three partici‑ pating states from the ruins of a collapsing bipolar system. Since 1993, when Czechoslovakia was dissolved and the Czech Republic and Slovakia became in‑ dependent, Visegrad has functioned as an entity with four member states. Over the last quarter century, this regional cooperation has seen booms and crises, and at times its legacy has come into question. The birth of the Visegrad Group was treated (and is sometimes still seen) as a miracle and the ultimate proof of the success of strong contributions based on common interests without any outside aid. The Group is still active, and from time to time, it causes surprises and obstacles in the European context.

30 years of the Visegrad Group. Volume 1: Political, Legal, and Social Issues and Challenges

2022

The year 2021 marked the 30th anniversary of signing the declaration on cooperation between Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary in Visegrad. The form of regional cooperation known as the Visegrad Group was initiated exactly on 15 February 1991, when the then presidents: Polish – Lech Wałęsa, Czechoslovakian – Václav Havel, and the Hungarian Prime Minister József Antall entered into an agreement defining cooperation’s objectives and terms. Since its establishment, the Visegrad Group has succeeded in implementing a number of projects, two of which were its priorities, namely the accession of the Member States to NATO and to the European Union. However, new problems and challenges are constantly emerging, which must be tackled not only by individual V4 countries, but also by the Group as a whole. They concern, among others, economic and social issues, sustainable development and environmental protection, transport and energy, internal and external security. Recently, such problems as ecological transformation, digitalization, rebuilding economies after the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption and disinformation have gained importance. This collective monograph is an attempt to diagnose and reinterpret selected issues relating to the Visegrad Group and its member states. The volume consists of analyses of practical and theoretical aspects of contemporary national policies and regional cooperation. The intention of the authors representing various research centers from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine and the Netherlands was to present the most important, in their opinion, matters concerning the Visegrad Group. The book results from scholarly interest in the problems and challenges of the V4 countries and, thus, constitutes the first volume of a publication devoted to the 30th anniversary of the alliance. I

Visegrád Co-Operation After Entering the European Union

The general aim of this article is to introduce and discuss the effect of Visegrád co-operation as one of possible grounds for developing international relations in Central Europe. On the 1st of May 2004 Visegrád 4 ("V 4") countries entered the European Union and became a part of a newly formed Europe. As this was declared as one of the chief goals of the collaboration, after its achievement it is necessary to ask if it is still useful to remain in the V 4 co-operation. The postulate that will be debated is: yes, we should continue in building up the Visegrád co-operation. After a short historical introduction and presentation of the contents of the basic V 4 documents, we are suggesting some arguments for the maintenance of the Visegrád co-operation and try to think about the future of Europe.

The Visegrad Group’s Regional Cooperation as Response to Complex Security Environment

2023

The unexpected end of the Cold War triggered Central European countries-Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary for thinking about stronger regional cooperation in order to fulfill the security vacuum in complex surroundings. The established non-formal regional cooperation known as the Visegrad Group strongly contributed to realizing their fortified strategic goals: EU and NATO's full membership, as well as promoting their regional politics as official politics of the European Union. Also, the Visegrad Group promoted their regional format as a model of multilateral cooperation outside of the European Continent known as Visegrad + regional format of cooperation on a global level. The aim of this article is to present that regional, political and security cooperation of the Visegrad Four, significantly increases their security stability, fulfillment of the objectives of the Common foreign and security policy of the European Union and strengthening of the regional security of the European continent. Methods The method will be based on qualitative analysis of the reports and documents by official bodies of the involved states in the research. Keywords: the Visegrad Group, Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Union, Regional security Conclusion: Establishing the regional non-formal cooperation between Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia has proved that this model of regional cooperation enables realizing the basic strategic goals, Europeanisation of their security cooperation and strengthening of regional security on the level of the EU.

Visegrad Group and Relations with Russia

Vestnik RUDN. International Relations, 2020

This article refers to the Central European countries by meaning the Visegrad Group countries (V4) - Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia. The development of the Visegrad Group aimed on integration to the Euro-Atlantic structures fulfilled its promise, nevertheless, the membership in Western structures does not necessarily mean the loss of Russian influence in the region of Central Europe. On the contrary, the region’s connection to Russia developed in the past remained to some extent even after the process of political transition in particular countries. Such connections are responsible for foreign policy discourse with a plethora of questions and misunderstandings on issues related to the political attitudes of Visegrad members towards Russia and some contradictory stances of the V4 countries among themselves as well with respect to Brussels. The EU’s politics of sanctions towards Russia is having a direct, counterproductive effect in Visegrad, what is resulting in underm...

The Security of the Visegrad Group Countries in the Light of Interests of the European Union and the Remaining Member States

Kultura i Edukacja, 2017

The aim of the presented paper is to depict the approach of the European Union and its member states towards security in the countries belonging to the Visegrad Group. For V4 countries it is vital to implement such a policy that would make Western Europe aware of the threat and exert political pressure on the countries of the so-called old Union (in particular on France and Germany) to assume a greater responsibility for security and peace in the world as an international organisation and support all actions designed to establish real and effective common defence policy of the EU. Indeed, state security is presently ensured not only by the armed forces of a given country but also through the assurance of obtaining effective assistance (of different kind) from other states and international organisations guaranteed by international agreements.