Orbán met Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, for talks ahead of a summit of the Organisation of Turkic States in Bishkek, his press chief told MTI on Wednesday.At their talks, the two leaders highlighted a “spectacular development” of bilateral relations in recent years, and noted the two countries’ signing a strategic partnership agreement in 2021, Bertalan Havasi said. Energy cooperation now covers a number of areas and Uzbekistan seeks to join the Green Energy Corridor project, a scheme crucial for Hungary’s energy security, Havasi added. The talks also touched upon cooperation in water management, transport, and education, as well as topical international issues.
A new European strategy will be needed in connection with Ukraine, the Hungarian prime minister said in his address at the summit of the Organisation of Turkic States held in Bishkek on Wednesday morning, after a Republican victory in the US presidential election.
The Republican victory will “put the question on the table for us European leaders” whether Europe was alone capable to continue providing military and financial support to Ukraine.
“I have serious doubts in that regard, this is why a new European strategy will be needed,” Orbán said, adding that the upcoming summit of European leaders in Budapest on Thursday could serve as a platform for taking the first steps.
PM Orbán’s arrival. Photo: FB/Orbán
The summit will bring together 47 heads of state and government in the biggest-ever diplomatic event in Hungary’s history, the prime minister said.
The most difficult question on the agenda will be the future of the 50 billion euro EU-US loan package earmarked for Ukraine under an earlier decision by the G7, he said.
Photo: FB/Orbán
Massive pro-war majority in the EU
Concerning the economy, Orbán said that Hungary’s trade turnover with Turkic countries had exceeded 5 billion dollars for the first time last year, adding that in 2023 over 5,000 students from those countries had applied for scholarships at Hungarian universities.
The prime minister said Hungary had started implementing its commitment of contributing 100 million dollars to the Turkic Investment Fund, and said “we hope that we will welcome investments by many Turkic companies and we will contribute to your economic growth in an increasingly large share.”
Referring to the latest summit of the organisation, Orbán noted the decision made on setting up a draught prevention institute at OTS’s European centre in Budapest to find solutions to environmental challenges. He said the new institute had already launched its first major programme aimed at establishing a Hungarian, Kyrgyz and Uzbek university cooperation in the area of the Fergana Valley’s forestation.
Concerning Europe and the debate about the war in Ukraine, Orbán said “there continues to be a massive pro-war majority in the European Union” despite military experts seeing a defeat of the European strategy on the battlefield. Hungary took over the EU presidency in July “and I launched a peace mission and I am grateful to Mr President Erdogan for supporting my efforts.” As a result of those efforts “discussion has started on ways to replace the war strategy with a peace strategy,” he added.
Orbán noted that the new European Commission was set to be formed on December 1, but said “I think we cannot expect meaningful change in Brussels’ approach towards the Turkic world … we need to prepare for a continued, distanced position.” He said, however, that he advocated a pro-active policy concerning the EU and “delegate all important issues to Brussels”. The Hungarian government will promote those issues at European political and economic forums and will “support all initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation between the Turkic world and Europe,” he said.
Pointing to the EU’s declining competitiveness, Orbán said the Hungarian EU presidency had prepared a competitiveness pact, adding that European leaders would discuss and possibly adopt the draft in Budapest on Thursday. The economic measures proposed in the draft could give a massive boost to the European economy, he said, adding that “I hope we will succeed”.
Concluding his address, Orbán said members of the audience were welcome to attend OTS’s next informal meeting set for Budapest in the first half of next year.
Orbán meets Uzbek president
Orbán receives Turkic States Organisation’s highest award
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has received this year’s Supreme Order of Turkic World at a summit of the Organisation of Turkic States in Bishkek, his press chief told MTI on Wednesday.
Photo: FB/Orbán
Informal Organisation of Turkic States summit to be held in Budapest
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó addressed a meeting of the council of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in Bishkek on Wednesday. Szijjártó said annual trade between Hungary and OTS member states had climbed over EUR 5bn, rising 20pc in a year and by 350pc over 15 years.
He noted that Hungary had started building ties with OTS members close to 15 years earlier and had gained observer status in the OTS six years ago.
Szijjártó said energy cooperation with OTS members had boosted Hungary’s energy security, pointing to gas deliveries from Turkiye and Azerbaijan, as well as the start of production at a Kazakh gas field by Hungarian oil and gas company MOL.
Hungary has started the transfer of USD 100m pledged for the Turkic Investment Fund, while the OTS Drought Prevention Institute in Budapest has launched its first project, he added. He said more than 5,000 students from OTS members had applied for the 1,040 scholarships Hungary offers each year to enroll at local universities.
Hungary will host an informal OTS summit in Budapest next year,
he added.
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