The Informal Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) hosted by Hungary on May 20-21, 2025, with its thematic diversity, institutional emphases and foreign policy messages, reveals that the Turkic world is much more than a regional cooperation platform. The theme "Meeting Point of East and West" goes beyond a mere geographical emphasis and symbolizes the strategic binding role of the organization in the global system. In this context, the Budapest Declaration issued at the end of the summit stands out as a comprehensive political text shaping the international identity, regional integration capacity and foreign policy coordination of the OTS.
The Budapest Declaration confirms that the OTS is no longer just a union shaped around a common history and cultural heritage, but has transformed into a regional actor that has completed its institutionalization process, has strategic goals and is structuring these goals step by step. In this context, the strong emphasis on the Nakhchivan Agreement and the "Turkic World Vision 2040" document reinforces the normative basis of the OTS, while the emphasis on the "Charter of the Turkic World" underlines the pursuit of not only common cultural identity, but also political unity, diplomatic solidarity and strategic coordination.
The fact that the summit was held in Hungary adds a strategic dimension to the declaration rather than a symbolic one. The summit, which was hosted by an observer country for the first time, demonstrated the seriousness of the multifaceted relations that the organization has developed with Europe and its vision for the future. As a country holding the EU Presidency, Hungary's role as a bridge between the OTS and the European Union clearly demonstrates the intention of the Turkic world to increase its institutional visibility not only within Eurasia but also at the transatlantic level. This proves that the foreign policy orientation of the organization strategically extends not only to the east but also to the west.
The areas highlighted in the Declaration show that the organization is not limited to cultural and symbolic integration but rather seeks to build a multidimensional cooperation mechanism. The call for fruitful multilateral cooperation in the defence industry reflects the quest of Turkic states to develop a common security architecture. This is an important step toward establishing the OTS's strategic autonomy in the field of security, especially at a time when regional threats are diversifying and great power competition is re-intensifying.
Likewise, contacts between space agencies and proposed cooperation in satellite technologies show that the Turkic world has the will to establish an independent and cohesive structure in technology. Such high-tech initiatives have the potential to make the OTS not only a political platform but also a partnership network for scientific and technological development.
On the economic cooperation axis, the importance of the Trans-Caspian Central Corridor is emphasized, and digitalization projects such as "e-Permit" and "e-TIR" aim to modernize and facilitate trade relations. These developments indicate that economic links between the Turkic states will be deepened not only through physical infrastructure but also through digital integration. In this way, the OTS seeks to gain a central position in intra-Eurasian trade corridors at a time when global supply chains are being reshaped through safe, fast and alternative routes.
The emphasis on combating climate change, green energy transition and environmentally friendly infrastructure projects shows that the OTS is striving for integration not only from a security but also from a sustainability perspective in the face of the global challenges of the 21st century. In this respect, the collective commitments to support the COP29 Baku Pact and the implementation of the Turkish Green Vision are a concrete indication of the will to act jointly in the context of environmental diplomacy and energy policy.
The Budapest Declaration clearly shows that the OTS has reached an important stage toward institutional coordination and strategic solidarity in foreign policy. The unity of the Turkic world, historically shaped based on cultural similarities, is now on its way to becoming a diplomatic structure with geopolitical coherence that develops common reflexes in the face of international crises. The common emphasis on regional and global issues such as Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan and the Golan Heights reveals that the OTS has reached the capacity to take a collective stance that integrates with the international agenda.
In the declaration, the addressing of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza in the context of international law, the recognition of Palestine on the basis of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders and the rejection of Israel's displacement policies are a striking reflection of the determination of the Turkic states to build a common diplomatic stance. This stance is not only a humanitarian sensitivity, but also an indication of the Turkic world's endeavour to produce a rights-based foreign policy in line with international norms.
Türkiye's foreign policy in the Syrian context is also strongly supported in the declaration. Türkiye's efforts to seek security and political solutions within the framework of Syria's territorial integrity were commended, and this approach was jointly adopted by the members of the organization. This is not only a political support to Türkiye, but also a strategic manifestation of the will of the Turkic states to develop a common position toward crisis regions. In this direction, the Working Group of the OTS established for Afghanistan shows that the organization has started to establish regional coordination mechanisms in the complex processes of post-crisis reconstruction and development.
The relationship of the OTS with global security norms is also clearly felt in the declaration. The support for the U.N. resolution opposing the production and proliferation of biological weapons demonstrates the will of the Turkic world to play an active role not only in the face of regional threats but also within the global security architecture. This effort reflects the desire of the OTS as a regional actor to establish normative compatibility with the U.N. system and its strategy to gain visibility as part of the international community.
Kazakhstan was the first member of the OTS to serve in the U.N. Peacekeeping Force in the Golan Heights, showing that the organization has evolved from symbolic support to concrete contribution in crisis management and peacebuilding processes. Such contributions reveal that the Turkic states have institutionalized their collective foreign policymaking capacity not only at the discursive but also at the operational level.
Another striking dimension of the declaration is the effort to integrate soft power instruments into the foreign policy vision. UNESCO initiatives, the recognition of Nowruz as an intercultural bridge at the U.N., TURKSOY's cultural projects, and the goals to increase the visibility of diaspora organizations show that the Turkic world attaches importance not only to hard power elements such as security and economy, but also to cultural diplomacy. Topics such as preservation, reconstruction and promotion of cultural heritage provide a framework that shows that the Turkic states act on the basis of common values in the processes of regional stability and identity building in post-conflict periods.
Moreover, the declarations of the members of the OTS to support each other's applications in the nomination processes before the U.N. reveal that there is a dynamic of integration among the Turkic states not only in cultural or economic but also in institutional diplomacy. Such mutual support mechanisms are concrete steps toward the organization's goal to be more represented in international organizations and to develop a common position in decision-making processes.
