Visegrad States at a Crossroads - A growing security policy rift between Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary
Publish date: 2022-12-20
Report number: FOI-R--5395--SE
Pages: 68
Written in: Swedish
Keywords:
- Central Europe
- defence economy
- foreign and security policy
- Poland
- Slovakia
- the Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Visegrad group.
Abstract
This report identifies both similarities and differences between the Visegrad states in the field of foreign and security policy. Among the similarities are the geographical location, historical experiences, economic and democratic development after their independence, as well as their memberships in the EU and NATO. Moreover, in all the Visegrad states, volatile domestic politics has had a visible impact on the direction of foreign and security policy. Among the differences, the view of Russia is the most prominent. The states have different views on whether Russia is a threat and how they should relate to Russia. For the Visegrad states, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022 has highlighted the question of security policy orientation. Not choosing between Russia and the West has been possible in the security order in place since the end of the Cold War, and the reluctance to do so has in many ways characterized the foreign and security policy of the Visegrad states. Several of the states are now adopting a new, more definitive, approach. At the same time, the reluctance to choose is still palpable - albeit in some states more than others. The Visegrad states are thus facing a number of foreign and security policy choices, which will affect the prospects for future cooperation.