Slovak Foreign Minister Seeks to Revive Visegrád Group with Broader Agenda

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Raši has called for a restart of the Visegrád Four (V4) grouping, proposing to focus on unifying topics and potentially invite additional countries to join the format. Raši believes that with this renewed approach, the V4 nations would carry greater collective weight within the European Union. The Visegrád Four is a regional alliance of four Central European EU member states — Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland — formed in 1991 to coordinate on political, economic, and cultural cooperation. The group has faced internal tensions in recent years, particularly over differing stances on the war in Ukraine, migration policy, and relations with Brussels, which have weakened its cohesion and influence within EU institutions. Raši's proposal reflects Slovakia's current government orientation under Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose administration has pursued a more sovereigntist and EU-skeptical course, often finding common ground with Hungary's Viktor Orbán. By broadening the V4's agenda around shared interests and potentially expanding its membership, Raši aims to restore the bloc's relevance as a counterweight within EU decision-making. Whether the other V4 members — particularly Poland and the Czech Republic, whose governments have taken a more pro-Ukraine and pro-Brussels stance — would embrace such a reset remains uncertain.