Visegrád Group still deeply divided on sending arms to Ukraine

Four Central European countries remain deeply divided over how to resolve Russia's war against Ukraine, their foreign ministers said on Thursday.

Transcript

00:00 All right, thank you.

00:01 Deep divisions on military aid for Ukraine

00:03 have emerged among the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary,

00:06 and Slovakia at a meeting in Prague.

00:09 The so-called Visegrad Four Group

00:11 normally seeks to find common ground

00:13 on areas of mutual interest.

00:15 But Hungary and Slovakia are opposed

00:17 to a new Czech-led alliance sourcing artillery

00:20 shells to send to Kiev.

00:21 Warsaw is an enthusiastic supporter of the initiative.

00:25 I'd like to end by congratulating and thanking

00:29 the Czech Republic, everybody who

00:31 contribute to having this excellent idea of the ammunition

00:34 initiative.

00:36 We are very happy to contribute not only financially,

00:40 but to a very efficient logistical operation.

00:45 While condemning Russia's invasion,

00:47 Hungary and Slovakia say they have to put

00:49 national interests first.

00:52 What was very important for us, we

00:55 have to fight for our national interest.

00:57 As you might know, that Slovakia is very dependent on gas

01:01 and nuclear fuel from Russia.

01:05 Last week, Germany and France also

01:07 said they would contribute to the Czech scheme.

01:10 But Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed

01:12 his country would not be sending long-range missiles to Ukraine.

01:17 [BLANK_AUDIO]