Ukraine puts Visegrad solidarity to the test

Deutsche Welle ^ | 23.03.2015 | Rob Cameron

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Central Europe is sharply divided on the crisis in Ukraine, while the EU is anxious to maintain unity. Several of the countries reject the very notion of Russia as a security threat. Rob Cameron reports from Prague.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrives in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Monday for talks with Central European colleagues expected to be dominated by the crisis in Ukraine.

Analysts say maintaining unity in the face of Russian aggression is one of the key challenges facing the European Union; but there are sharp divisions in Central Europe over how to face this challenge. Indeed several of the countries, most of which are heavily dependent on Russian energy, reject the very notion of Russia as a security threat.

A bend in the river

The leaders of three Central European states gathered on February 15, 1991, at the ancient Hungarian town of Visegrad, whose fourth-century castle stands guard over a strategic bend in the River Danube.

It was 10 days before the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary - newly freed from Moscow's orbit but with NATO and EU membership still a long way off - had decided to band together. Visegrad Castle was chosen as the spot where the kings of Hungary, Poland and Bohemia formed a similar alliance back in 1335.

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“Unity” in this case means agreeing to whatever Germany wants.