(ANSA-AFP) – BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 26 – The Hungarian Parliament approved Sweden's NATO membership this afternoon, the final step for the Nordic country seeking to join the Atlantic Alliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. For Stockholm, the wait was long and the path chaotic: negotiations with Turkey, which concluded with a positive vote in January, were exacerbated by the hesitation of Hungarian nationalist leader Viktor Orban.
The parliamentary vote, scheduled for around 4:20 p.m. Budapest and Italy time, should not present any surprises given the ruling coalition's two-thirds majority.
In addition, the opposition, with the exception of the far-right Nostra Patria party, will also vote in favor. Sweden's NATO accession protocol, which requires the unanimous consent of Atlantic Alliance members, has been pending since May 2022.
Although he had reached an agreement in principle some time ago, before the process was concluded, Orban demanded “respect” from Stockholm, which he said was too critical of his policies. The situation has finally been clarified in recent weeks and the visit of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson last Friday marked, in Orban's words, the epilogue of a “long process of restoring trust.” To seal this cooperation, the two countries announced that Budapest will purchase four fighter jets from Sweden to strengthen its current fleet of 14 Gripens. (ANSA-AFP).
