Viktor Orban on Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Viktor Orban views Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a key political and strategic figure, emphasizing the deep, historical, and evolving cooperation between Hungary and Türkiye. He frames the relationship within a worldview where Hungary, culturally distinct from the Germanic, Slavic, and Latin spheres of the West, finds significant value in strengthening ties with the Turkic world, spearheaded by Türkiye. This pragmatic alignment, which Orban asserts is vital for Hungary, has seen bilateral trade nearly double since their initial talks, with a shared goal of reaching $10 billion. He explicitly values the relationship as a foundation for future political, energy, economic, and defense cooperation.

Furthermore, the Hungarian leader repeatedly expresses gratitude for Erdoğan's policies, particularly concerning migration, stating that Türkiye's border protection efforts are essential for preventing unmanageable illegal migration into Europe and Hungary. Both leaders also share a common position on the Russo-Ukrainian war, aligning as members of a "peace camp" who believe a battlefield solution is impossible and actively coordinate their peace-making efforts. This deep alignment is underscored by Turkey guaranteeing energy routes crucial for Hungary's security and Hungary consistently supporting Türkiye's bid for European Union membership.