Baku: Hungary was among the first nations to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence, doing so on December 26, 1991, and formal diplomatic relations were established on April 27, 1992. The Hungarian embassy in Azerbaijan opened on January 12, 2009, while Azerbaijan’s embassy in Hungary began operations in September 2004.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, this foundation of mutual recognition and diplomatic exchanges has paved the way for a robust partnership that spans energy, education, and infrastructure.
On November 11, 2014, Azerbaijan and Hungary signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership. Direct flights between Baku and Budapest symbolize the growing ties, and a scholarship program launched in 2014 allows 200 Azerbaijani students annually to study in Hungary. Budapest has shown consistent support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, providing financial aid for demining liberated territories and participating in reconstruction efforts in the Soltanli village of the Jabrayil district. Hungarian companies, MOL and MVM Group, hold significant stakes in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas fields, while recent agreements have further solidified energy ties.
In June 2023, an agreement between Azerbaijan’s SOCAR and Hungary’s MVM CEEnergy was signed for the supply of 100 million cubic meters of gas, with deliveries expected to begin in 2024. This agreement reinforces Hungary’s position as a strategic energy partner. The pharmaceutical company Richter Gedeon also signed a deal to produce 90 types of medicines in Azerbaijan, marking another layer of economic collaboration.
Azerbaijan’s strategic location along the Middle Corridor positions it as a key player in trade between Asia and Europe. Hungary, with aspirations to serve as a bridge between the Turkic states and Europe, highly values Azerbaijan’s potential contributions to political and economic relations with the European Union. Hungary aims to become a strategic energy hub with support from Azerbaijan and other Turkic states, and both countries are confident in this ambition.
The relationship between Azerbaijan and Hungary is characterized by strategic partnership and friendship. During President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Hungary in May, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb¡n expressed appreciation for Azerbaijan’s support during difficult economic times, referring to President Aliyev as ‘an old friend of Hungary’. This partnership allows Hungarian companies to increase their shares in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sectors and establishes a sense of mutual dependence and trust.
President Aliyev acknowledged the similarities between the two nations, citing historical roots, similar population sizes, and being landlocked as shared challenges. He highlighted the importance of energy cooperation, noting that Hungarian companies hold stakes in Azerbaijan’s major oil and gas projects, and emphasized the extensive gas resource base that Azerbaijan provides to multiple countries, including Hungary.
Hungarian experts view the Azerbaijan-Hungary relationship as strategic and unique. Professor L¡szl³ Vasa of Hungary’s Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade highlighted Azerbaijan as Hungary’s primary alternative gas source following Europe’s decision to reduce reliance on Russian gas. Meanwhile, Zolt¡n Egeresi pointed out that the relationship has entered a golden era, with significant energy imports and active Hungarian companies in Azerbaijan.
The Green Energy Corridor, an ambitious project to transmit renewable electricity from the Caucasus to Europe via a submarine cable, represents the largest renewable energy collaboration between the two countries. President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan’s commitment to producing 6,000 megawatts of green energy in the next five years, with potential export destinations including Turkey and Europe.
President Aliyev commended Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb¡n for his independent policy-making within the European Union, praising his focus on Hungary’s national interests. The President also attended the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States in Hungary, where Azerbaijan was a focal point, and relations with Hungary were highlighted as strategic.
The summit emphasized Azerbaijan’s contributions to intercultural dialogue and energy cooperation. The Declaration signed at the summit recognized Azerbaijan’s leadership in these areas and outlined plans for future collaborations, including the 2025 Baku Summit. President Aliyev reiterated the importance of strategic partnerships with Hungary and other Turkic states in the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
Overall, the growing diplomatic, economic, and energy ties between Azerbaijan and Hungary signify a robust partnership poised to address mutual challenges and leverage shared opportunities.