The president discussed with partners in Krakow about EU expansion and Ukraine

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Bratislava/Krakow – The President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, met in Krakow, Poland, with ten other presidents of European Union (EU) countries as part of the Arraiolos group. They agreed on the need for EU expansion, support for Ukraine, and ending the war. They also discussed relations between the EU and the USA, reports TASR.

According to Pellegrini, the group is capable of discussing with respect and understanding, while such dialogue is, in his opinion, increasingly rare among politicians in today’s world. “We all bear responsibility for our future, and none of our countries is an isolated island on its own. Cooperation is and will be our strongest tool in the current geopolitical context,” stated the Slovak president.

The heads of state agreed on the expansion of the EU to include new states such as Ukraine, Moldova, and Balkan countries. “EU enlargement is a very important point on each of our agendas because it is an opportunity to strengthen European security and a guarantee of further economic development, but enlargement should not be an automatic trigger process. Candidate countries have a lot of work to do on their side, including many painful, fundamental reforms,” noted Pellegrini.

In relation to energy security, he remarked that countries must continue diversifying supply chains and building connectivity between energy networks. Pellegrini also called for the development and renewal of the industrial base, particularly in defense.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev noted that leaders discussed important issues concerning Europe’s future. He considers bringing peace to the entire continent as priority number one. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou also pointed to wars and achieving peace. According to Estonian President Alar Karis, Russia, as an aggressor, must pay for the damages it has caused.

Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar declared that Slovenia would continue to support Ukraine. She also pointed to the transatlantic relations between the EU and the USA. According to her, it is not important who wins the next presidential election in America; Europe must talk to whoever the winner is. “Transatlantic partnership plays a special role. It is crucial for European security. Transatlantic ties with the United States are part of long-term security policy regardless of who wins the elections,” added Pellegrini.

The leaders met on Friday in Krakow, Poland, at Wawel Castle, the historic seat of Polish kings. This year, the summit was hosted by Polish President Andrzej Duda. Presidents of Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Italy met at one negotiating table. The themes of the meeting were also related to the priorities of the Polish presidency of the EU in the first half of 2025.

The Arraiolos group is an informal political forum for presidents of some EU member countries. Its name derives from the Portuguese town of Arraiolos, where the first meeting was held in 2003. The Slovak Republic was represented for the first time at the group’s meeting in 2022 by former President Zuzana Čaputová. (October 11)

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