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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday praised Türkiye’s regional influence and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s diplomatic leadership, calling the Turkic world “a dynamic and strengthening force.”
Speaking alongside Erdogan at a joint press conference in Istanbul, Orban said the Turkish president had shared with him “a grand vision” behind the concept of the “Turkish century.”
“President Erdogan told me that a different world is coming, and the Turkic world will gather great energy,” Orban said.
Orban also expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s efforts to mediate in the Russia–Ukraine war, describing Erdogan as “the only successful mediator” in the process.
Ahead of his arrival in Türkiye, Orban also emphasized the two countries’ shared efforts to promote peace.
“The Turks have been involved in all attempts at reconciliation and, together with the Hungarians, they know that they can only lose in the war, so the two countries often work together to promote peace,” Orban told reporters on board his flight to Istanbul, according to the Hungary Today news portal.
Erdogan formally received Orban earlier Monday ahead of the 7th Meeting of the Türkiye–Hungary High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
Reaffirming the annual high-level meetings, Orban said this year’s negotiations focused on four main areas: economy and trade, migration, war, and energy.
Describing Türkiye as a “regional power,” he said the meetings allow for open discussions on developments in Europe and Eurasia with Erdogan “as friends.”
Orban said regular bilateral meetings have helped boost trade volume from €2–2.5 billion ($2.33–2.91 billion) to €4.5–5 billion ($5.24–5.83 billion), with Turkish investment in Hungary on the rise and Hungarian presence in Türkiye also expanding.
He noted that over the past four years, Türkiye has been the only country to conclude several key agreements, including those related to delivering Ukrainian grain to Africa.
Meanwhile Türkiye and Hungary signed a series of agreements across multiple fields, including aviation, security, technology, culture, and education, Erdogan announced.
Speaking at the joint news conference, Erdogan said the two countries are close to reaching their $6 billion trade volume target.
“We implemented 28 joint actions, allocated resources to joint projects” in 2025, which was declared the Türkiye–Hungary Year of Science and Innovation, he added.
The signing ceremony and press briefing followed the leaders’ strategic council meeting during Orban’s official visit to Türkiye.
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