Hungary FM due in Türkiye for comprehensive talks

ANKARA

Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Anita Orban speaks at the opposition Tisza Party's campaign opener event, Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP File Photo)

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orban will visit Türkiye on Oct. 8 for talks with Turkish top diplomat Hakan Fidan and the first meeting of the joint planning group between the two countries, officials have said.

The talks are expected to handle a wide range of topics, with Fidan expected to emphasize a target of raising bilateral trade to $10 billion, viewing it as an important threshold for expanding economic ties and increasing mutual investment.

The ministers are also set to discuss new joint projects in energy, transportation and connectivity, as well as closer military and defense industry cooperation between the two NATO allies, according to diplomatic sources.

Fidan is expected to highlight Hungary’s active engagement with the Organization of Turkic States and its role in strengthening ties between the Turkic world and Europe, the sources said.

Türkiye’s relations with the European Union are also expected to feature prominently, including efforts to update the Customs Union, visa liberalization dialogue and Türkiye’s accession process.

Fidan is expected to say that Türkiye-EU ties should be pursued with a forward-looking vision based on mutual interests and equal partnership.

The ministers are also expected to discuss European security and Türkiye’s potential involvement in the bloc’s security and defense initiatives.

Regional and global issues on the agenda are expected to include the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in Gaza, developments in the Balkans, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz.

The visit comes after Fidan met Orban on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7.

Türkiye and Hungary have sought to deepen their strategic partnership in recent years. The two countries established a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in 2013, upgrading their relationship to a strategic partnership, and raised it to an “enhanced strategic partnership” level in 2023.

The joint planning group was established at the seventh meeting of the cooperation council in Istanbul in December 2025.

Bilateral trade reached about $5.1 billion in 2025, while Turkish investments in Hungary totaled about $231 million and Hungarian investments in Türkiye stood at about $35 million.

Around 300 Turkish companies operate in Hungary, while about 100 companies with Hungarian capital operate in Türkiye.

The two countries held a Culture Year in 2024 and a Science and Innovation Year in 2025, with joint events organized throughout both years.