Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Turkey is key to the security of Hungary and the European Union.
“It would be impossible to overcome challenges” facing the bloc without Turkey’s input, Minister Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Ankara, listing challenges that were physical, economic and connected to energy. Turkey, he added, was especially important in handling growing migration pressure. He said Europe would be lost if migration were not prevented, and he praised Turkey for “doing everything possible to keep migration under control”. He said both Hungary and Turkey held the same position that migrants should return home, given the right security conditions. He said that Turkey was key to Hungary’s energy security, and it was a reliable transit partner, with the majority of imports passing through the country. Minister Szijjártó thanked his counterpart for not using energy as a “political or economic weapon”. Turkey’s handling of terrorism amid today’s threats on a global scale, he said, was highly important. Meanwhile, the minister said Europe could regain its competitive edge lost in recent years, given closer cooperation with partners like Turkey.