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Türkiye serves as the guarantor of Hungary's energy supply security, Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday during the ninth Türkiye-Hungary Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting in Ankara.
"Türkiye is currently the guarantor of Hungary’s energy supply security," Szijjarto said, citing the role of the TurkStream pipeline.
"We do not want to give up cheap Russian oil and gas, and we receive significant support from Türkiye in this regard. The TurkStream pipeline forms the backbone of Hungary’s natural gas supply," he added.
Szijjarto criticized the EU's adoption of the so-called Zelenskyy Plan, stating that if implemented, it would threaten the functionality of the TurkStream pipeline and drive up housing costs in Hungary.
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir emphasized the importance of energy cooperation. "We have exported 275 million cubic meters of natural gas to Hungary through the TurkStream pipeline. Our goal is to expand cooperation into renewable energy, hydrogen, and nuclear energy," he said.
Joint efforts between TPAO, BOTAS, TENMAK and their Hungarian counterparts are ongoing. Cooperation also extends to nuclear waste management, with joint work linked to the Akkuyu and Paks-2 projects.
Both ministers announced that 2025 will be marked as the Türkiye-Hungary Science and Innovation Year. Over 50 joint activities are planned in areas such as AI, mobility, autonomous vehicles, defense, space, and R&D. Agreements are also being prepared in science, innovation, and intellectual property.
Kacir stated that Türkiye and Hungary are jointly participating in the EU’s Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programs.
Kacir highlighted emerging collaborations in defense and technology. "We’ve taken initial steps for new strategic partnerships in unmanned air and land systems, simulation and training technologies, and innovation centers," he said.
He noted that over 300 Turkish companies are active in Hungary and more than 100 Hungarian firms have invested in Türkiye. Turkish contractors have completed 70 projects worth $2 billion in Hungary.
"Türkiye is now capable of taking on greater responsibility for the security of Europe and NATO," Kacir added, referencing defense initiatives including the production of the Ejder Yalcin vehicle in Hungary.
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