Sweden submitted an application for membership in the alliance together with Finland in 2022, after Russia began its repeated invasion of Ukraine. In April 2023, Finland became a member of the alliance, but Sweden’s accession was delayed by Turkey and Hungary.
This week, Turkey finishes ratifying the protocol on Sweden’s admission to NATO.
“Sweden’s entry into NATO will make the entire alliance stronger,” Stoltenberg told reporters, detailing talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this week.
“I have received a message from Budapest that the parliament will meet again at the end of February, so we have to wait. But I am absolutely sure and I trust Hungary,” Stoltenberg declared.
Hungary initially did not make clear exactly why it was delaying supporting Sweden’s entry into NATO, and Orbán claimed that Budapest would not be the last to support Sweden joining the alliance. But Budapest’s attitude towards Stockholm gradually worsened, with the European Commission denying Hungary access to EU funds due to its departure from democratic norms.
Budapest accused Swedish politicians of “outright lies” about the state of democracy in Hungary.
Orbán announced on Tuesday that he had invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson to Budapest to discuss “further security and defense cooperation as allies and partners.”
Unless an emergency parliamentary session is called to discuss Sweden’s request to join NATO, Hungary’s parliament will convene on February 26.
In order for a country to be admitted to NATO, it needs a unanimous decision of all the members of the alliance.
2024-01-26 20:57:55
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