BRUSSELS

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Monday underlined Türkiye's importance as a "reliable and fair transit partner," highlighting Ankara's key role in ensuring the security of European energy supplies.

In a post on US social media platform X, Szijjarto, who arrived in Istanbul along with Prime Minister Viktor Orban and others, said the first meeting of the Türkiye-Hungary Joint Consultation Mechanism was held with the participation of foreign and defense ministers, national security advisers and leading defense industry representatives.

Szijjarto stressed that both countries "stand together" in calling for an end to the war in Ukraine through negotiations, adding that Budapest and Ankara "condemn attacks against energy supply routes," whether targeting oil pipelines in Russia or commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

"Türkiye is a reliable and fair transit partner. This year, around 8 billion cubic meters of gas will reach Hungary through the TurkStream pipeline," he said.

Türkiye and Hungary on Monday signed agreements on many fields, including aviation, security, technology, culture, and education, to enhance bilateral ties.