Central European countries show deep rifts over Ukraine war at V4 meeting

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The Visegrad Four, an informal coalition of Central European countries, is deeply divided over Russia’s war with Ukraine and its approach to resolving the conflict.

The prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia agreed in a meeting in Prague on Tuesday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a flagrant violation of international law and Kiev needed support.

However, the V4 countries have different opinions about the causes of Russia’s aggression and what kind of assistance they are prepared to provide to Ukraine.

While the Czech Republic and Poland are united in their unwavering support for Ukraine, including the provision of arms, Hungary and Slovakia’s attitudes are very different. view.

“I think you can say that there are differences between us,” said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who hosted the talks in Prague.

“We’re not going to make any secrets,” Fiala said. “It would be pointless to have different views on the causes of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how to resolve it.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, “Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal and the only reason for the war in Ukraine is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” Regardless, the political, moral and historical aspects are important.” “The assessment of what is happening in Ukraine today must be unambiguous,” he added.

Slovakia and Hungary have refused to supply arms and ammunition to Ukraine.

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico said of the Western countries’ approach: war It is a “complete failure”.

“I don’t believe in a military solution to the Ukraine conflict,” Fico said. He also said the EU should devise a peace strategy against war.

Fico, a left-wing populist, has previously criticized Russia for the causes of the war in Ukraine, including Putin’s baseless claims that the current Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state and that ethnic Russians living in the country’s east need protection. has repeatedly made this claim.

He also opposes EU sanctions against Russia and wants to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. He said that no matter how many Western weapons are injected into Ukraine, the tide of the war will not change.

“The war can only end through negotiations,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a nationalist and conservative populist. He added that peace talks should start “the sooner the better.”