The Visegrad Group, or V4, is a regional cooperation platform that the four Central European countries started in 1991.
In a congratulatory message posted on its website ahead of the anniversary, the US Department of State said that, as NATO allies and EU member states, V4 countries “play important roles in strengthening Central Europe and the Transatlantic Alliance.”
“Since its establishment in 1991 to support accession to NATO and the European Union, the V4 has amplified the collective voices of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia on important regional issues, including by supporting the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans and the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries through International Visegrád Fund programs to strengthen democratic institutions and civil society,” the message said.
It added that the United States “looks forward to continued dialogue with the Visegrád Group to address shared challenges, including fighting and recovering from the global pandemic; improving cyber and energy security; combating climate change; countering disinformation and malign influence; and strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law, and independent media.”
On Wednesday, the prime ministers of the four Central European countries are scheduled to meet for a summit in the southern Polish city of Kraków to mark the milestone together with Charles Michel, a top European Union official.
(gs/pk)
Source: state.gov, gov.pl