V4 Presidential Summit Begins in Trencin

Bratislava, 4 November (TASR) - The Visegrad Group (V4 - Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland) presidential summit begins in Trencin on Wednesday and will continue on Thursday (5 November). The summit is aimed at giving fresh impetus to cooperation between the four countries and strengthening their collective voice in Europe. Slovak President Peter Pellegrini is hosting the meeting, welcoming Czech President Petr Pavel, Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Hungarian President Andras Baka. The summit will be held in an expanded format, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also attending. This will be the first time that she's participated in a V4 presidential summit, the President Office's communications department has informed TASR. The summit will focus on areas of common interest and ways in which the V4 countries can strengthen their position and advance shared priorities at the European level through closer cooperation. The participation of the EC president also provides an opportunity to discuss these priorities within a broader European context. According to the President's Office, this approach builds on the programme of Slovakia's V4 presidency, which began on 1 July. Under the slogan 'The V4 and a Stronger Europe - Together for a Stronger Europe', Slovakia is seeking to revitalise Visegrad cooperation and strengthen the region's position in Europe. The talks will focus on issues affecting both the future of Europe and the everyday lives of its inhabitants. One of the key issues will be EU enlargement and its importance for the continent's long-term stability and security. Attention will also be paid to Ukraine, and in particular ways of supporting its people ahead of the winter, the country's post-war reconstruction and its European prospects. In addition, the leaders will discuss energy availability and prices. International Visegrad Fund executive director Linda Kapustova Helbichova will also take part in the talks on EU enlargement and the situation in Ukraine. The fund supports joint projects in the field of education, science and culture, said the President's Office. The leaders' main talks will take place on Thursday at Trencin Castle. A concert by the Lukas Oravec V4 Quartet, made up of musicians from all four member countries, will be held at Trencin synagogue on Wednesday evening, symbolically highlighting the cultural affinitive of the V4 countries. At the end of the programme, the heads of state will visit the Fiesta Bridge in Trencin, whose construction was supported by EU funding and which serves as a model example of European cooperation in the region. The choice of the summit venue is also symbolic, stated the President's Office. Trencin, which holds the title of 2026 European Capital of Culture, also has a place in the history of Visegrad cooperation. It was there that the Treaty of Trencin was signed in 1335, preceding a meeting of monarchs in Visegrad, an event whose legacy inspired the founders of the modern-day V4. ko/df