Visegrad Four meet to discuss Ukraine-related affairs

Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki convened
an urgent meeting of the Visegrad Four to discuss Russian military activity on
the border of Ukraine and terrorist acts in Czech Republic. Morawiecki also
called the meeting to see how the countries, namely Poland, Czech Republic,
Slovakia and Hungary, can strengthen regional defense in light of the recent
and prior Russian aggression. The video meeting was announced on Twitter on
April 26 by Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski.

Besides the direct aggression on Ukraine’s borders,
the Czech government is pointing to the 2014 explosion of warehouses full of
arms as acts of terrorism. The owner of the material, Emilian Gerev, admitted
to newyorktimes.com by email that the arms were destined for Ukraine, and that
he was also the victim of an assassination attempt by means of Novichok.

However, pravda.com.ua quotes Czech president Milos
Zeman as saying that the investigation into the 2014 explosions needs to be
completed. The pro-Moscow politician also stated that he did not rule out that
it was an act of terror by Russian forces.

Meanwhile, the German government is considering a
request from the Ukrainian government for weapons that will help defend
Ukraine’s coastline. Germany’s dw.com media site reported on April 25 that
Ukraine had in particular asked for old corvettes and anti-ship missile
systems. German politicians and bureaucrats are already commenting on the
issue. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was against the move, while Defense Minister
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the Bundestag’s foreign affairs committee
chairman Norbert Röttgen were in favor of it.

James Hydzik: The U.S.
and UK have taken the lead to date regarding physical assistance during the
Russian movements on Ukraine’s border. In part this is because of the nature of
the assets required, namely the spy planes that can best confirm any troop
movements on the part of the Russians. Ukraine needs much more than this, and
part of the aid must be in hardware. What Germany and the Visegrad Four decide
over the coming days will affect the security and diplomatic environment of the
region over the mid term, and with direct costs for supporting either Ukraine
or Russia.