The Visegrad Group (V4) presidential summit opened on Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Trencin, western Slovakia, according to Xinhua. Presidents Peter Pellegrini of Slovakia, Petr Pavel of the Czech Republic, Karol Nawrocki of Poland and Andras Baka of Hungary gathered there, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attended for the first time, marking a historic moment for the V4‑EU relationship.
According to Xinhua, the summit aims to revitalize cooperation among the four V4 states and strengthen their collective voice within European affairs. The meeting, hosted by Slovak President Pellegrini, is intended to foster closer regional collaboration on matters of common interest, and to increase the V4's influence inside the European Union.
Xinhua noted that von der Leyen’s participation provides an opportunity to address shared priorities directly within a broader European framework, signalling stronger cooperation between the V4 and EU institutions. Her attendance, the first for a V4 presidential summit, underscores the importance of aligning the group’s goals with EU policy objectives.
Trencin, designated the 2026 European Capital of Culture, was chosen for its historic ties to Visegrad cooperation. Xinhua pointed out that the Treaty of Trencin, signed here in 1335, preceded the first Visegrad gathering of monarchs, a legacy that inspired the founders of the modern‑day V4. The city’s role in the region’s cultural and diplomatic heritage adds symbolic weight to this year's summit.
