The V4 Ministers Agreed on Increasing the Budget of the International Visegrad Fund in Prague

21.03.2024 / 14:10 | Aktualizováno: 21.03.2024 / 17:04

On Thursday, March 21, 2024, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský welcomed his counterparts from the Visegrad Group countries at the Czernin Palace. The meeting was held within the framework of the Czech Presidency of the Visegrad Group, and was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Poland, Radosław Sikorski, Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, and the Slovak Republic, Juraj Blanár.

The ministers held an open discussion on current foreign policy issues, such as Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the current situation in the Middle East, or the expansion of the European Union. They unanimously agreed and stated that Russia is responsible for the aggression in Ukraine.

"The Czech Presidency of the Visegrad Group focuses on the positive aspects we have in common – the V4 is primarily a forum for us, where we engage in dialogue and a tool for maintaining and strengthening interpersonal contacts," Minister Lipavský said.

They also discussed the beneficial role of the International Visegrad Fund, which has supported cooperation among the citizens of the V4 countries for twenty years, and agreed on a 10 percent budget increase. "The budget increase will allow for further cooperation among our citizens and societies," added the head of Czech diplomacy.

Minister Szijjártó also informed the partners about the preparations for the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of the year.