“Russia will supply us with gas and oil.” Türkiye will secure supplies to Hungary

I agreed with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Turkey will guarantee the security of further supplies of Russian energy resources to Hungary, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday in Istanbul during a joint press conference with the Turkish leader.

Most of the gas imported to Hungary comes from Russia and is transported via the TurkStream pipeline through the Black Sea, and then through its extension – the Balkan Stream gas pipeline, running through Bulgaria and Serbia. The pipeline, put into operation in 2020, was part of Russia's efforts to bypass Ukraine, which previously served as the main route for Russian gas to Europe.

– Russia will supply us with gas and oil. Therefore, we agreed with President Erdogan that we will continue to use the route (through Turkey), and I would like to thank him for guaranteeing the security of these supplies, said the Hungarian Prime Minister.

Hungary signed a 15-year agreement with Russia in 2021 to purchase 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually, and last year it increased purchases from Gazprom, importing about 7.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas via the TurkStream gas pipeline.

The press conference was held after the leaders' meeting during the 7th meeting of the High-Level Council for Strategic Cooperation between Turkey and Hungary.

During the conference, Orban drew attention to joint activities with Turkey for peace and ending the war in Ukraine. – President Erdogan was the first effective mediator in this war. Today we agreed to coordinate our peace efforts, noted the Hungarian Prime Minister.

Orban also commented on Turkey's role in the context of EU migration policy. – Without Turkey, protecting Europe and Hungary from migration, our continent would be unlivable – he said. The politician thanked the Turkish president on behalf of all of Hungary, adding that Budapest will do everything to ensure that Turkey's efforts are appreciated in Brussels.

President Erdogan assured that Türkiye is mobilizing all means to find a diplomatic, just and lasting solution to the Russian-Ukrainian war. “Since the beginning of the war, Türkiye has spared no effort to ensure a just and lasting peace through diplomacy,” he said. He added that Ankara would continue its actions “in the belief that no one wins a war and no one loses in a just peace.”

The Turkish leader also admitted that full EU membership remains Ankara's strategic goal. He expressed his belief that “Hungary will continue to provide (Turkey) strong support in this regard.”

– Türkiye and Hungary signed agreements on Monday in many areas, including aviation, security, technology, culture and education – said the Turkish president. He added that both countries are close to achieving the goal in economic relations, which is to bring the volume of trade exchange to the level of USD 6 billion.

Jakub Bawołek (PAP)

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