Hungary's Viktor Orban discusses energy issues with Erdogan in Ankara

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for bilateral talks in Antalya, which focused on energy issues and developing bilateral economic, military and defence cooperation, the PM's communications department announced on April 11. 

According to the short statement, gas supplies to Hungary from the eastern direction "have come to a halt due to Ukraine's adversarial attitude".

Hungary can only ensure a safe supply of energy and maintain the utility price cap programme by way of the TurkStream pipeline, it said. 

After their meeting in December in Ankara, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the two countries would deepen energy cooperation. Leading oil companies of Hungary and Turkey, MOL and TPAO, will start a new strategic cooperation that will enable MOL to be involved in exploring and tap new oil fields in Turkey and also open an opportunity to the Turkish oil company to enter the Hungarian market, he said.

Hungary received more than 7bn cubic metres of gas through the Turkish Stream pipeline via Turkey and the daily capacity of the pipeline is over 20mn cubic metres, which is "good news regarding the energy security of the coming period."

Orban also took part in the annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, holding talks with Irakli Kobakhidze, his Georgian counterpart. The parties reviewed opportunities for developing bilateral economic and trade relations and made preparations for a summit of the Hungarian and Georgian governments set to be held in Hungary in June.

Orban also met with Zeljka Cvijanovic, the Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Hungarian leader emphasised the importance of the stability of the Western Balkans for Hungary and all of Europe. Hungary, he said, remained ready to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in coping with the factors threatening its stability.

While in Ankara, the Hungarian leader sent a video message supporting his ally Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic ahead of a major pro-government rally in Belgrade on Saturday.

Echoing Belgrade’s narrative about ongoing grassroots protests sparked by a deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad last November, which left 16 dead, Orban claimed that "foreign forces" are trying to interfere in Serbia’s affairs, a pattern he says mirrors Hungary’s own experience. "Your fight is our fight," he declared, pledging solidarity between "Serbian and Hungarian patriots," saying "Long live President Vucic, long live Serbia!"