Defense ministers of Türkiye and Hungary came together on Tuesday for an emotional tribute to Hungarian soldiers who died on Turkish soil during World War I. A monument dedicated to the fallen during the war was unveiled in Çanakkale, where the soldiers of the then-Austro-Hungarian Empire fought side by side with the Ottoman army against invading forces.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar was joined by his Hungarian counterpart Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky in Çanakkale, located in western Türkiye, cutting the ribbon to the modest monument in Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Peninsula.

"Türkiye has thousands of years of friendly relations with Hungary and we see today how significant our cultural and historical ties are. Our relations especially became more visible during World War I. As the Turkish Armed Forces’ 15th Army Corps fought in Galicia (in eastern Europe), Hungarian soldiers fought with Turkish soldiers here in Çanakkale. We share our grief and joy and have a shared fate and this is what shapes our policy today," Akar said at the unveiling ceremony. The minister also expressed gratitude to Hungary for the maintenance of the graves of 480 fallen Turkish soldiers buried in a martyrs’ cemetery in Budapest.

Akar noted that Turkish-Hungarian cooperation regained importance at a time of heightened risk and threats in the region. "Both as NATO allies and as friendly countries, I sincerely believe our two countries will boost bilateral relations in defense, security and other fields," he said.

For his part, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said the monument is a memory of friendship. "I thank the Turkish government for immortalizing the memory of Hungarian soldiers who were comrades in arms with Turks and rushed to the aid of their Turkish friends. This monument reminds us of past wars, which ended with mutual respect and peace. It reminds us the likeness of our people, relations and common history. We should believe that we can overcome this time of wars and crises with the friendship of our two peoples. We trust in Turkish people and they can trust us. I hope our mutual respect and brotherhood will deepen," the Hungarian minister said.