Orbán hosts Erdoğan and other eastern leaders on Hungary's National Day

euronews (in English)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a self-proclaimed proponent of “illiberal democracy”, is often characterised by his aggressive stance toward the West and was expected to use the talks to boost bilateral ties with Eastern partners.

Transcript

00:00 The sound of trumpets in Budapest on Hungary's national day.

00:04 Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the Danube on Sunday to witness the pomp and

00:08 pageantry including an air show over the Houses of Parliament.

00:12 Across the water, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban took the occasion to host 15

00:17 Balkan and Asian leaders at the capital's Carmelite monastery.

00:22 In a closed-door meeting, Orban and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly

00:26 discussed bilateral cooperation and the war in Ukraine.

00:30 Secrecy aside, the editor-in-chief of Turkish news outlet TurkInfo says Budapest is the

00:35 bridge between Ankara and Europe.

00:37 "It is very important for Turkey to establish relations with the West.

00:44 Although Turkey has good relations with Russia, China and the Middle East, it is not a good

00:54 place to have relations with Russia.

00:56 However, the main focus of the talks was on the West, and the West is interested in the

01:02 German economy and the German gas industry."

01:05 Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Sziharto says Orban's main focus during Sunday's talks

01:09 was his country's energy security.

01:12 Sziharto has reportedly agreed that the flow of gas from Serbia to Hungary will have to

01:17 be increased if Ukraine terminates its gas transit contract with Russia.

01:21 The Turkish President and the Asian and Balkan leaders' invitation to the national celebration

01:26 indicates that Orban is trying to deepen his economic and political ties with the region.

01:33 Senuda Nora, Euronews, Budapest.

01:36 [WHOOSH]

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