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Influence of Russia on Cooperation of the Visegrad Group
In his political rhetoric, there is a tendency to authoritarianism and clear sympathy for the personality of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he called
an example of successful authoritarian rule. On the one hand, Hungary condemned Russia for annexing Crimea, and on the other, Viktor Orban said that Hungary will not be part of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, pointing out the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, as well as
holding personal meetings with Vladimir Putin on a par with Slovakia.11 In conclusion, it is worth once again emphasizing the importance of Russian influence
on the functioning of the Visegrad group. Russia uses various tactical and strategic aspects of
cooperation between the V4 countries, mostly “playing” on prices and energy supplies to the
V4 countries. Russia's motivation is a negative perception of the Visegrad group as such,
directed against its interests, and therefore, Russia considers it necessary to form a “split” in
the work of the V4 countries and bring relations to the bilateral level. Differences in the
assessment of security risks, economic interests, and the effectiveness of economic sanctions
against Russia also play a huge role in shaping the overall, progressive agenda of the Visegrad
group. Russia uses methods of manipulating public consciousness, also taking into account the
personalities of the presidents of the V4 countries, their differences in policy towards Ukraine
and Russia, which rests on the lack of institutional mechanisms in the work of the Visegrad
group. This state of affairs may significantly weaken the effectiveness of the Visegrad group
countries, since it is unlikely that clear coordinated results will be achieved with different goals
and views.…
To consider the role of Russia's influence on cooperation within the Visegrad group, it is important to take into account a number of factors that prevent the participating countries from consolidating their position on the Russian Federation. In this context, it is appropriate to talk about factors that determine the position of countries in relation to Russia, such as different perceptions of security and national interests. Although the countries of the Visegrad group have common strategic goals, which can be seen as an example of their policy towards the Eastern partnership countries, however, the notorious Russian factor can play the role of a so-called “stumbling block”, causing the countries in the region to doubt their policy towards Russia, up to possible undermining of trust between the countries of the Visegrad group on this basis. Indeed, the implication of these events is due to a number of factors that depend on both the historical background and the processes that take place within the Visegrad group, the European Union and Russia. To begin with, we should refer to the first Declaration of the Visegrad group of countries of 1991, which clearly traces the progressive agenda for that time relative to the then Soviet Union, designated by specific goals and vectors of foreign, domestic and socio-economic policy. Thus, from the very beginning of the existence of the Visegrad group, the countries aimed to get out of the Soviet zone of influence and start a new “Western” path of development. The Declaration also mentions the feasibility of creating a North-South communication infrastructure, in the sense of which the countries invested the idea of reducing dependence on Russian energy resources (oil, gas, coal, and much more). This fact is a significant point, because it indicates the problem that the countries of the Visegrad group face today - dependence on Russian energy resources. This factor makes the Russian factor particularly important in the framework of cooperation between the Visegrad group countries, because it significantly restricts the possibility of maneuvering the foreign and domestic policies of the V4 countries, due to the fear of stopping Russia's supply of energy resources.
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