Orban met with the leader of Turkey, which is balancing between good relations with Russia and supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced that he is continuing his “peacekeeping mission” and met with the President of Turkey in Washington. He called Istanbul an “indispensable player” in peacemaking efforts. Orbán also asked Recep Erdogan to “join the peacekeeping mission.”

However, Turkey does not plan to abandon the balancing act it maintains between NATO membership, improving relations with Russia, and its status as an ally of Ukraine. Erdogan demonstrates a “policy of balance.” He met last week with Russian dictator Putin in Kazakhstan. This week, he participates in the NATO summit dedicated to the Russian threat. Turkey maintains ties with Moscow and does not observe sanctions against Russia. The country supplies Kyiv with drones and warships but continues to buy Russian oil and gas.

The president of the American Institute for Foreign Policy Studies says that “Turkey seeks to minimize tensions in relations with Russia, keep NATO as far away from the region as possible, and control any potential escalation.”