Security cooperation in the visegrad group: new challenges and hybrid threats

Abstract

The article analyzes the security interaction of the Visegrad Group countries. Our study tries to identify potential space for cooperation of member countries in the area of foreign, security and defense policies. The authors emphasize that after the first decade of EU and NATO membership, the position of the Visegrad countries has really intensified. They did not only strengthen their own regional alliance, but they also became members of a trans-European coalition with a strong position on the further fate of European integration. In parallel, some differences in the views of individual member countries of Visegrad are described. The authors explain that the crisis of cooperation in the V4 formula was caused by different perceptions of security issues, a slightly different choice of foreign policy priorities, but also by the different potential of V4 countries. Our conclusion highlights the important challenges faced by the Visegrad group including positions on hybrid threats, the fight against extremism, radicalism and migration challenges.