By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his peaceful approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict over the 15 months of the war so far.
"I congratulated President Erdogan on his election victory during his inauguration in Ankara. His pro-peace stance is like a breath of fresh air for Hungary!" Organ said on Twitter one day after visiting Türkiye to see Erdogan's swearing-in ceremony.
Orban shared a video of his visit to Türkiye for the ceremony, along with scenes from the event, and remarked: "We needed Erdogan's (May 28) victory like a breath of fresh air, and he also stands for peace."
He added: "Additionally, he is pro-peace. Had he not won, we would have a pro-war Turkish president and consequences of that would have been hard to predict. The Turkish President has a chance to mediate between Ukrainians and Russians as he did regarding the issue of grain, the grain crisis."
Türkiye, internationally praised for its mediator role, has repeatedly urged Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations, and spearheaded the Black Sea grain deal to enable exports of globally vital food even during the ongoing war.