President Erdoğan to visit Budapest as Türkiye, Hungary set to sign cooperation deals

Türkiye's president will visit Hungary's capital Budapest on Monday, said a Turkish Communications Directorate statement.

According to the statement, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will visit the country at the invitation of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on the occasion of the sixth meeting of the Türkiye-Hungary High Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

"At the Council Meeting to be held in Budapest under the chairmanship of our President and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Türkiye-Hungary relations at the strategic partnership level will be reviewed in all their dimensions, and steps that can be taken to further deepen the cooperation between the two countries will be discussed," the statement also said.

The leaders will also exchange views on current regional and global issues, the directorate also said, adding that it is also planned to sign various agreements aimed at strengthening the contractual basis and to hold the opening ceremony of the Türkiye-Hungary Culture Year.

DEALS TO BE SIGNED

According to diplomatic sources, during Erdoğan's visit, the sides will try to boost the strategic partnership between the two countries to the level of enhanced strategic partnership, and a document on this will be signed by Erdoğan and Orban.

The visit will focus on cooperation, especially in the fields of economy, trade, the defense industry, culture and energy.

The date of the visit coincides with the centenary of the Treaty of Friendship signed by the two countries on Dec. 18, 1923, soon after the Republic of Türkiye was founded.

The opening event of the 2024 Türkiye-Hungary Culture Year, declared on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of relations between Hungary and Türkiye, will also be held by President Erdoğan and Orban during the visit.

The Year of Culture will be celebrated with a wide range of events that have been planned for a long time in both Hungary and Türkiye. This is expected to lead to increased rapprochement between the Turkish and Hungarian peoples.

According to diplomatic sources, all ministries are in comprehensive cooperation with Hungary at all levels. Erdoğan will be accompanied by eight Cabinet ministers during his visit, including the ministers of foreign affairs, national defense, the interior, trade, energy and natural resources, industry and technology, family and social services, and culture and tourism.

During the visit, 16 documents in various fields are expected to be signed between the two countries.

Hungary, which has observer status in the Organization of Turkic States (TDT), is pursuing a policy of opening up to the East in order to diversify its foreign policy and wants to improve its relations with Central Asian countries.

Hungary actively carries out its activities and contributes to the bloc, as distant kinship ties from the past paved the way to its observer status.

Cooperation within the organization will be on the agenda of the talks between Hungary and Türkiye.