Orban thanks Turkey for support against migration

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday said Turkey was a key ally in the fight against migration after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

At a joint news conference in Ankara, Orban said Europe was facing "migratory pressures" from the Mediterranean, the western Balkans and Belarus.

"Europe needs allies... who can create a ring of defence around Europe as far away as possible," he added.

He warned without this defence, "Europe will collapse", before adding that Turkey helped to provide part of this defence.

The Hungarian leader also announced that Turkey had agreed to send 50 border guards to help protect his country's border.

And he called on the European Union to support Turkey financially in its "fight against migration".

Orban is on an official visit to Ankara and will meet his counterparts at the summit of the Council of Turkic-speaking States in Istanbul on Friday.

IMAGE: AP