Hungary stressed Türkiye's role on Thursday and lauded the TurkStream natural gas pipeline as a key component of Hungary’s energy security.
TurkStream, launched in early 2020, transports gas from Russia to Türkiye and onward to European countries, including Hungary.
"TurkStream is a very secure supply route, and Türkiye is a very reliable partner," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.
He further emphasized the importance of Türkiye's role in light of the potential disruption of gas supplies from Ukraine.
"If it were not for Türkiye, our energy supply would not be secure. If this pipeline did not exist, we would be facing a very serious problem right now," Szijjarto told Anadolu Agency (AA) on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
Russia's gas exports to Europe have been severely curtailed after European countries imposed an embargo after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Lower gas quantities from Russia via Ukraine brought forward Türkiye's role as a transfer facilitator in the region.
Szijjarto also acknowledged the crucial role played by Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia in facilitating gas shipments through TurkStream.
The pipeline, which allows Moscow to bypass Ukraine as a transit route to Europe, carries Russian natural gas to Southern Europe through the Black Sea and Türkiye.
It has an annual capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) and consists of two 930-kilometer (578-mile) offshore lines and two separate onshore lines that are 142 and 70 kilometers long.
"If we had not built the TurkStream pipeline, we would not have been sure how to ensure a secure supply to our country in the coming period," Szijjarto remarked.
He also praised the strong relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
"We have a strategic partnership based on the very good personal relations between the two leaders. The good chemistry between them provides a very stable foundation for our strategic cooperation," he assessed.