"They will fear that Ukraine will put a heavy burden on the EU budget," Fico said. "Yes, that is the other side of Ukraine's entry into the European Union . Therefore, everything has its time, and Ukraine must be patient. It must be very, very patient," he added.

Fico also questioned the European Union's proposed €90 billion ($103 billion) support package for Ukraine, claiming the bloc was funding Ukrainian weapons production that could later be sold back to EU member states.

"We are already in a mess. If we give someone 90 billion for the production of weapons, for support, for all sorts of things, they will manufacture weapons from it and then sell them back to the European Union," he said.

The Slovak prime minister said Slovakia's presidency of the Visegrad Group (V4) would focus on competitiveness, EU enlargement, people-to-people relations and practical cooperation, while making peace a fifth priority.

The European Union formally opened accession negotiations with Ukraine in June 2024. On Friday, EU member states reached a technical agreement to begin opening another accession negotiating cluster with Ukraine and Moldova, with formal approval expected on July 14.

“The V4 is back. The cooperation of the Visegrad Four has returned,” he said.

Magyar presented the summit as a sign of Hungary’s renewed commitment to regional cooperation following years of strained relations with several European Union partners under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

“The Visegrad countries continue to support the European integration of the Western Balkan countries,” he said.

He argued that the stability, development and European aspirations of the Western Balkans are closely linked to Europe’s long-term security and competitiveness.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country is set to assume the V4 presidency from Hungary, said the group was returning at a challenging moment for Europe and the wider world.

“On behalf of the Visegrad Four, I want to say that we do not just want to be objects or subjects of decisions, which they adopt on the grounds of the European Union or other organisations, but we want to be co-creators of these decisions and maximally active participants,” Fico said.

He identified European Union enlargement as a priority for Slovakia’s presidency while stressing that candidate countries must meet the bloc’s accession requirements.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged that the four governments continue to hold differing views on several issues but said the V4 could regain influence if cooperation is rebuilt on mutual trust.

“I cannot cooperate with Viktor Orban for the reasons the Hungarians no longer tolerate his leadership,” Tusk said, linking the group's previous difficulties to Hungary’s former leader.

Asked about the absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk, Tusk suggested the decision could help avoid “unnecessary tensions” and “escalation”.

The Ukraine Recovery Conference is scheduled to take place on June 25 and 26 and will be jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine.

“Our official stance is: let’s diversify the supply options for all fuels, but also keep open the possibility when it comes to Russian oil and gas,” Fico said.

He also criticised what he described as growing U.S. interest in European energy transit infrastructure .

“The Russians will supply the Americans with gas and oil at standard prices, and the Americans will sell it to us with an American high-margin surcharge,” he said. “Are we such idiots already?”

The remarks come as the EU continues to pursue its REPowerEU strategy, aimed at ending reliance on Russian fossil fuels following the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

Under the plan, Russian liquefied natural gas imports would be phased out by the end of 2026, while pipeline gas imports would end by September 30, 2027, with a possible short extension.

EU member states are also required to outline how they will replace Russian energy supplies.

Fico has repeatedly argued that a rapid break from Russian energy could increase costs for Central European countries that remain heavily dependent on imports.

“In 2004, when we joined the European Union , I was convinced that this was the only project that could guarantee peace on the European continent. However, today the European Union is becoming not a force for peace but a force for war,” he told attendees. “We talk more about war in the European Union than we talk about peace.”