Viktor Orban on Turkey

Viktor Orban consistently frames Hungary's relationship with Turkey as a vital strategic partnership based on mutual interest, particularly concerning security and energy. He has explicitly stated that a stable and strong Turkey, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is a precondition for Hungary's security against overland migration, calling Turkey a key ally for Europe in combating terrorism and managing migration flows. This stance has led Hungary to support Turkey's internal constitutional changes and its role in international diplomacy, such as mediating the war in Ukraine, while also pursuing observer status within the Organization of Turkic States, emphasizing shared historical and cultural ties.

This close alignment, which also reflects an ideological symmetry challenging Western liberalism between the two leaders, has translated into concrete economic cooperation, with a shared goal of significantly boosting bilateral trade volume, which has seen notable growth. Furthermore, Turkey is positioned as critical for Hungary's energy security, serving as a reliable transit partner for Russian gas supplies via pipelines like TurkStream, especially amidst geopolitical instability. The relationship is deeply personalized between the two leaders, which enhances cooperation but also presents a risk should either leader be replaced, as the partnership is heavily invested in their individual rapport.