Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (L to R) attend a joint press conference after a summit held in Godollo, Hungary, June 23, 2026. Leaders of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries pledged on Tuesday to strengthen regional cooperation and improve coordination on European Union (EU) affairs during a summit held in Godollo, Hungary. (Photo by David Balogh/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries pledged on Tuesday to strengthen regional cooperation and improve coordination on European Union (EU) affairs during a summit held in Godollo, Hungary.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis reaffirmed their commitment to a stronger V4, saying the group should play a more active role in shaping European policies and advancing common regional interests.

According to Magyar, the leaders agreed to resume consultations ahead of European Council meetings and coordinate positions on issues of shared concern. He said the four countries were united by more than what divided them and remained committed to practical cooperation.

The summit also discussed the EU's next seven-year budget. Magyar said the leaders agreed on the importance of preserving the bloc's cohesion policy and Common Agricultural Policy, both of which are of significant importance to Central European countries. He also presented a proposal for a high-speed rail link connecting Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest to improve regional connectivity.

Fico, whose country has assumed the rotating V4 presidency, outlined competitiveness, migration, energy policy and regional cooperation as the group's key priorities in the coming period.

The leaders also stressed the importance of maintaining cultural and civil society exchanges within the V4 framework. In addition, they discussed the future of a possible V4+ format involving additional partners. Magyar said participation would depend on the issues under discussion and could include non-EU countries when appropriate.