In brief
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the Visegrad Group presidents met in Trencin, Slovakia, hosted by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. The event brought together Czech President Petr Pavel, Hungarian President András Bárka, and Polish President Karol Nawrocki, joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for the summit’s inaugural EU participation. Discussions centered on deepening regional cooperation and enhancing the V4’s influence within the European Union.
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the Visegrad Group (V4) presidential summit opened in Trencin, a city in western Slovakia that is the 2026 European Capital of Culture.
The meeting was hosted by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and brought together the presidents of the four V4 member states: Czech Republic’s Petr Pavel, Hungary’s András Bárka, and Poland’s Karol Nawrocki.
Notably, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in attendance for the first time, underscoring an expansion of cooperation between the V4 and EU institutions.
According to the Slovak President’s Office, the summit will focus on common interests and ways to strengthen the group’s position inside the European Union through closer regional collaboration.
Participants and Cooperation
Both the V4 leaders and von der Leyen said the meeting offers a chance to address shared priorities directly within a broader European framework. The presence of the Commission’s chief is seen as a signal that the EU will support and perhaps amplify the V4’s collective voice on matters ranging from security to economic policy.
The choice of Trencin as the venue carries symbolic weight, as the city hosts the historic 1335 Treaty of Trencin, an early precedent for regional cooperation that inspired the modern V4. The summit’s location links contemporary diplomacy with a centuries‑old tradition of collaboration among Central European monarchs.
