BRATISLAVA, May 12, (WEBNOVINY) — Countries of the Visegrad Group will create a joint battle group for the EU. The defense ministers of the V4 countries agreed on their defense cooperation on Thursday in Levoca, Slovakia. In addition to representatives from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, the negotiations included the Ukrainian defense minister, as Ukraine may also join if interested. One of the most important issues that need to be resolved as soon as possible is to determine the leading country and operational command/headquarters. Most probably it will be Poland, as Polish Minister Bogdan Klich confirmed. “It is now in our common interest to resolve the participation and competencies with which Ukraine would be willing to contribute to the group,” Slovakia’s Defense Minister Lubomir Galko stated, adding that its participation would enrich the group.
Slovakia plans to contribute to the battle group with commanding officers, motorized units as well as bomb disposal experts. “Every participating country will contribute to the group based on its capabilities and will make its training centers or facilities available to the group,” Galko explained.
The defense ministers also discussed the impact of budget cuts on defense and military forces. “We agreed that further cuts to budgets for defense could threaten not only the development of new capabilities but also maintenance of current ones,” he said.
This ministerial meeting also concluded the period of Slovakia’s presidency of the V4 in the defense department. “Many working meetings were held during our presidency. Developments in the world show that regional cooperation is gaining in importance. We want and have to cooperate together more,” the Slovak minister underscored.
SITA