BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 3. Following Kazakh
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's trip to Budapest in November
2024, President of Hungary Tamas Sulyok made his way to Kazakhstan
for an official visit, Trend reports.
These high-level visits really shine a light on the strong bond
between the two countries.
To recall, Hungary was among the first states to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence, and Budapest became the location of Kazakhstan’s first embassy in Europe. Hungary was also the first EU country to establish a strategic partnership with Kazakhstan. This historical foundation has since developed into a broad network of cooperation across diverse areas, from energy to digital technologies and education.
“We maintain very close contacts with your country in many areas. I am optimistic that this trajectory will persist, as it aligns with the strategic objectives of both entities. Consequently, we shall exert maximum endeavor to enhance our collaborative synergies across both the geopolitical and economic domains,” Tokayev articulated during his engagement with the Hungarian head of state.
On this account, transport and logistics are the name of the game. Kazakhstan and Hungary plan to build an intermodal terminal in Budapest in 2026. For Kazakhstan, this project expands export opportunities to Europe, while for the EU, it strengthens new trade routes. Hungary is also interested in the development of the Middle Corridor, which aligns with the EU’s strategic priorities. This multimodal route links China and Southeast Asia with Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, bypassing the traditional northern routes through Russia and Belarus.
Péter Szijjártó, a Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, previously underscored that Hungary aims to enhance the operational capacity of the Middle Corridor, whether via logistical pathways, rail infrastructure, or the facilitation of energy transmission for electricity and gas. In this context, we maintain a robust partnership with Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Romania through the initiative known as the ‘Middle Green Corridor,’ which aims to facilitate the transmission of sustainable energy from the Caspian region to Central Europe.
The economic interlinkages between Astana and Budapest are
experiencing significant expansion. The bilateral trade volume
achieved approximately $200 million in the previous fiscal year,
demonstrating a robust growth trajectory with a 22 percent uptick
during the initial eight-month period of 2025. The bilateral
entities are strategically positioned to escalate their commercial
exchange to a substantial $1 billion threshold. In a strategic
dialogue between President Sulyok and Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas
Bektenov, Kazakhstan articulated its preparedness to amplify export
initiatives to Hungary across a spectrum of 95 distinct product
categories. The establishment of a Kazakhstan-Hungary investment
fund is anticipated to serve as a pivotal mechanism in catalyzing
the initiation of novel collaborative ventures.
Kazakhstan possesses a robust capacity for the exportation of
commodities across various sectors, including energy, metallurgy,
petrochemicals, engineering, agriculture, and construction.
Hungarian enterprises have strategically allocated approximately
$400 million into the economic landscape of Kazakhstan, with over
35 entities actively engaged, including prominent players such as
MOL, Gedeon Richter, and UBM Group. In excess of 20 collaborative
initiatives, aggregating a valuation surpassing $600 million, are
currently in progress across sectors including energy, agriculture,
healthcare, logistics, and finance.
In August 2025, pursuant to a strategic partnership between
KazMunayGas and MOL Group, the inaugural consignment of 85,000
metric tons of Kazakh crude was successfully transported to a
processing facility in Hungary. KazMunayGas and MOL Group engage in
a strategic partnership within the Rozhkovskoye gas condensate
field located in western Kazakhstan, with MOL allocating
approximately $200 million towards the initiative.
The collaboration further permeates the digital ecosystem.
President Sulyok engaged in the Digital Bridge 2025 international
forum, a premier technology convergence in Central Eurasia,
convened in Astana.
The Hungarian president underscored the commitment to activate a
plethora of synergistic projects and initiatives.
“The prospective trajectory of bilateral relations between our two nations presents substantial avenues for strategic engagement,” he said.
Hungary and Kazakhstan are enhancing synergies in critical domains, including logistics, energy infrastructure, and commercial exchange. The proposed intermodal terminal and Middle Corridor initiative will enhance Kazakhstan's export capabilities to Europe, concurrently fortifying Hungary's transportation and energy interconnections. Capital allocations by Hungarian enterprises and collaborative initiatives are catalyzing expansion, generating novel commercial prospects, and establishing the foundation for sustainable advancement.
For Hungary, teaming up with Kazakhstan is a win-win situation—unlocking fresh energy sources, broadening trade horizons with Central Asia, paving new transport paths, and diving into collaborative investment and technology ventures.
During the official engagement, President Tokayev articulated that the existing paradigm of collaboration is unparalleled and conferred upon President Sulyok the prestigious Order of Dostyk, emphasizing that these synergies will constitute a significant heritage for posterity.
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