Perspective – Written by Dávid Biró, Sándor Seremet and László Vasa
Amid the geopolitical realignments of the twenty-first century, the Turkic states—Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan—are increasingly close in their security cooperation. The basis for this is the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which could strengthen future coordination between member states in a range of areas from joint military exercises to critical infrastructure protection and digital security. In recent years, Hungary has gradually strengthened its relations with the Organization of Turkic States, in which it has been an observer since 2018. The country will host the first informal summit of the organization in May 2025, marking a significant diplomatic step forward. In addition, in April 2025, Hungary signed a declaration of defense cooperation with Uzbekistan, covering military training, technology transfer and counterterrorism. In addition, the NATO liaison function of the Hungarian embassy in Tashkent will also help to maintain contacts between the alliance and Central Asia. The Hungarian Competition Authority is also involved in regulating digital economic cooperation, while the Defense Innovation Research Institute is working with the Turkish TÜBITAK to develop intelligence systems. Hungary is thus increasingly positioning itself as a geopolitical bridge between the Turkish world and Europe through security, economic and cultural cooperation.
Source of cover: Organization of Turkic States