As the global order and regional configurations change, the relationship between Türkiye and Hungary has evolved into a partnership based on mutual interests and cooperation. It is remarkable how two countries with different geography, history, and political systems cooperate under the leadership of Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Viktor Orbán through economic partnership, collaboration, and shared geopolitical sympathies. Both leaders have adopted a style of governance that challenges Western liberalism and unites Western democracies in international opposition. This insight evaluates the contemporary relationship between Türkiye and Hungary, paying closer attention to the role that the strongman leaderships of Erdoğan and Orbán play in their cooperation. It attempts to explore how these countries strategize their partnership in trade, migration, and cultural diplomacy and examines the significance of these policies within the context of European and global politics. The research attempts to study the effects of ideology and strategic cooperation in Turkish-Hungarian relations and the implications this holds for the EU and the regional/international order’s stability.
Historical aspects of Turkish-Hungarian relations
The history of Türkiye and Hungary is a complex and intertwined story of war and peace that spans over several centuries. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, most of Hungary came under Ottoman rule, which significantly impacted Hungarian culture, architecture, and society. The Ottoman period brought a special relationship between the two regions, which remains the basis of their history and cultural narratives. After the defeat of both great empires at the end of the First World War, Hungary’s post-war situation and Türkiye’s transformation into a modern republic under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk evidenced two divergent trajectories for the two nations. Türkiye concentrated on abandoning the Ottoman legacy to portray itself as a secular link between Europe and the Middle East. Simultaneously, Hungary joined the Central European political arena (later communist after being absorbed into the Warsaw Pact). Regardless of the divergence, both states grappled with the question of nationalism and modernization in a changing world order.
With the rivalry between Hungary and Türkiye during the Cold War, the superpower struggle was a common ground for the two countries to pivot toward each other. After 1999, the integration into the NATO alliance helped Hungary act as a medium between the East and the West. At the same time, Türkiye’s status as a regionally influential member of NATO and Europe contributed to the region’s shifting geopolitics. These historical trajectories set the stage for a renewed partnership in the 21st century, driven by common goals and mutual recognition of their strategic importance. Moreover, Hungary’s integration into Europe and NATO gave the country an EU-controlled Western role. At the same time, Türkiye strategically operated as a regionally potent member of NATO and monitored Europe’s security over the Middle East. Turkish and Hungarian relations now serve as a testament to the events of mutual cultural exchange and geopolitical issues that push both countries to work together.
Key aspects of Erdoğan-Orbán cooperation
Cooperative economic development is one of the key elements of collaboration between Türkiye and Hungary. Both nations have bolstered their relations via commerce. The trade volume, including in the sectors of construction, energy, and agriculture, has been improving. For Hungary, Türkiye’s developed economy and geographical position as a link between Europe and Asia make it a valuable partner. On the other hand, Hungary’s EU membership is an important outlet for Turkish investments in Central Europe. Some of the joint projects and agreements, such as infrastructure and energy deals, demonstrate the mutual economic interests of the two nations.
Furthermore, the common problems of dealing with migration have led to significant cooperation between Türkiye and Hungary. The European migration crisis has led to changes in the immigration policies of the European Union (EU) countries, especially those that directly interact with the Middle East. Hungary has supported Türkiye’s efforts while acting as a host for millions of Syrian immigrants and as a buffer zone for Europe. In exchange, Hungary also assisted Türkiye in exercising greater control of migration, portraying the collaboration as advantageous for European security. This cooperation is consistent with Orbán’s infamous anti-immigration policies and highlights mutual interests in border control. The strategic considerations and motivations, symmetry within the political alignments, and ideological parallels between the two countries have mutually improved their images by cooperating with each other in several ways, including accepting the Turkish language in Hungarian universities. Viktor Orbán’s illiberal tendencies and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strong executive presidency have created a conceptual symmetry that matches the actions of both leaders.
The EU members serve as critical intermediaries for Türkiye’s interactions with Europe. Emphasis on partnerships within the region enables Hungary and Türkiye to expand their sphere of influence. In this context, Hungary is of great significance as it helps advance the Turkish agenda within the EU, portraying it as a valuable ally in the Middle East. Hungary’s regional alliance demonstrates the capacity of the smaller states to use their powers more pragmatically. However, the preponderance of bilateral relations between Erdoğan and Orbán raises the question of whether this importance is concentrated in a more institutional Hungarian-Turkish relationship or it would fall back if one of the leaders steps down. The mix of interests and the personal relationships between the two leaders have provided a strong foundation for the bilateral relationship, making it volatile should a future government in either country pursue a fundamentally different foreign policy.
Internal scrutiny and external perceptions of the partnership also raise many eyebrows. Critics in Hungary are concerned about Orbán’s relationship with Erdoğan because of Türkiye’s human rights record and some of its policies toward Middle Eastern countries. In parallel, it is also essential to consider the value of Hungary’s rapprochement for the Turkish opposition. The complex interdependence approach embedded in this partnership carries much geopolitical risk. Hungary’s status as Türkiye’s sponsor in the EU may be unpopular with other EU members, and Türkiye’s regional goals may sometimes be at odds with Hungary’s. Dealing with such complex issues requires a higher level of diplomacy and pragmatism than is currently the case. The challenges in Turkish-Hungarian relations under Erdoğan and Orbán have been more strategic than these two nations are used to. Preventing sustained global disorder in this fragmented world requires countermeasures against aggressive hostility.
Economic cooperation and energy security
The newfound partnership between Türkiye and Hungary is becoming stronger, demonstrated by elevated meetings, treaties, and shared goals conducted in recent years. The partnership is of mutual trust and pragmatic collaboration has reached new heights in the fields of energy, military, and geopolitics. The central pillar in Turkish-Hungarian economic relations is the energy sector. The economic interdependence of Türkiye and Hungary in terms of energy resources makes their cooperation a matter of energy security. Hungary is focused on developing its natural gas corridor through Türkiye, already known as a central energy hub for the Middle East and Central Asia. Enhancing collaboration via shared energy undertakings together with integrated trade strategies has elevated the significance of this component of the relationship.
When speaking at the Istanbul Energy Forum, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó remarked on the importance of Türkiye in relation to Hungary’s energy security needs. Hungary became the first non-neighboring country to source gas from Türkiye by directly importing 250 million cubic meters (mcm) per year of natural gas from Türkiye. The discussions between Hungary’s energy company MVM and Türkiye’s BOTAŞ have further aggrandized gas delivery expansion. Gas interconnection via the TurkStream pipeline from Russia to Hungary through Türkiye seems to support this cooperation. Over 6.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas reached Hungary from TurkStream in 2023. This was a record-high flow. Specifically, this infrastructure helps Hungary not to seek alternative suppliers. Moreover, the country does not need to depend on other routes and confirms the status of Türkiye as an important center of energy. Furthermore, the Hungarian oil company MOL and Türkiye ТРАО are considering mutual investment in the energy industry of both countries. Thus, energy security has become a new frontier for cooperation. Both Turkey and Hungary are utilizing the same technological processes to expand their nuclear capabilities under the supervision of Rosatom, the Russian federal state nuclear energy corporation. Szijjarto pointed to the exchange of expertise, where the two countries provided each of their countries training in nuclear engineering to improve their energy needs.
Presidential visits
The bilateral relations were deepened further during the visit of President Erdoğan to Hungary in December 2023, after the first visit in August. C. Szijjarto and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán supervised the sixth meeting of the Turkey-Hungary High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council held parallel to the one-hundred-year commemoration of the Türkiye-Hungary Friendship Agreement. During the visit, a Joint Political Declaration was signed by both countries, which made the bilateral relations “cooperation of strategic significance”. Military, as well as nuclear energy contracts were also signed, while 2024 was declared as the culture year and 2025 the year for science and innovation to foster intercultural and scientific movements.
The visit was also symbolic when Hungary presented a racehorse to President Erdoğan as a token of the united heritage while Turkey handed Orbán a home-produced TOGG electric vehicle, a new sign of Turkish technological prowess. These emblems spoke to the old and new aspects of their relations. Hungary and Türkiye’s cooperation extends to important migration policies where both countries are working together strategically. Orbán stressed the importance of Türkiye saying, “Without Türkiye, Hungary’s security cannot be ensured”. Getting access to fuel aligns with Hungary’s anti-migration efforts, which strengthens the alliance.
The timing of Erdoğan’s visit, immediately following a relatively hostile EU summit, highlighted the agreement on European issues between the two leaders. Both leaders have voiced their dissatisfaction with the EU policies, particularly their criticism of governance. Hungary assumed the EU presidency in 2024 and assured support for the EU accession for Türkiye by first updating the customs union and then proceeding to relax visa restrictions. Orbán has praised Türkiye’s contribution to international diplomacy, crediting Erdoğan’s leadership in the negotiation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Russia and Ukraine as an example of how important Türkiye is to global stability.
The personal connection between Erdoğan and Orbán has an aspect of overdependence, suggesting that the relationship might crack with a potential change in leadership. Their alliance’s “strange bedfellows” partnership has also attracted criticism inside the EU, which remains apprehensive of the governance styles of both nations as well as their stance against Western liberalism. Clearly, the partnership has its strategic and economic advantages. By signing agreements in energy, culture, and defense, among others, Türkiye and Hungary seek to assert themselves as major players in the geopolitical landscape of their regions. Their collaboration is a testament to how shared pragmatism and bilateral interests can form relationships, even in more volatile geopolitical constellations.
Conclusion
Both Hungary and Türkiye have engaged in deeper collaboration during the times of President Erdoğan and President Orbán on account of ideology, economics, and geopolitics, which worked in their favor. The two countries have managed to create diverse economic activities, migration flows, and cross-cultural diplomatic exchanges that extend beyond conventional political boundaries and exploit their unique positions in Europe and the Middle East. Their collaboration also contravenes the established order of the West and represents a new approach that places emphasis on partnership with a focus on sovereignty and national interest. There are, however, some worrying aspects emanating from the criticism of the EU and dependency on individual leadership. The greatest danger for this partnership lies in these issues. These concerns pragmatically highlight the unfortunate bilateral conditions in the eye of increasing global tension.
For the future of Turkish-Hungarian relations to thrive, it will be essential for both countries to manage domestic and international pressures. Establishing surviving relationships between two nations is way simpler than maintaining them. By diagnosing these disruptions beforehand, Hungary and Türkiye could control their changes to base assumptions about foreign policy. This alliance has provided more profound insight, while being controversial, as to how countries with contrary regional anticipations can work together during an increasingly unstable global order.
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