Hungarian FM Szijjártó: Hungary, Turkiye outline ‘new strategic milestone’ in bilateral cooperation

Cooperation between Hungary and Turkiye is better and more mutually beneficial than ever, and the two countries have also outlined a new “milestone” target for the coming years, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Ankara on Thursday.

Hungary–Turkiye cooperation

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today as part of the Hungarian peace mission, “which is especially important as the only really successful attempt at mediation in the war in Ukraine in the past thousand days is connected to Turkiye,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.

“Hungary has stuck to the same stance for a thousand days. It has become certain that there is no solution on the battlefield, that a settlement is possible only at the negotiating table, and that we need a ceasefire and peace talks as soon as possible,” he said.

At the meeting, they welcomed the unprecedented heights of bilateral cooperation which, he said, benefited both countries.

Meanwhile, the two countries reached a “strategic milestone” this year, when Hungary became the first non-neighbouring country to which Turkiye exports natural gas, Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary has already bought 275 million cubic meters.

“Today, we agreed to maintain that cooperation, and Hungary will receive natural gas next year too,” he said.

Turkiye and Hungary have also outlined a new milestone, to be achieved in the coming years, he said. “An agreement was made under which the leading oil companies of Hungary and Turkiye, MOL and TPAO, will start a new strategic cooperation that will enable MOL to be involved in exploring and tap new oil fields in Turkiye and also open an opportunity to the Turkish oil company to enter the Hungarian market,” he said.