Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party has given up its blocking position. Parliament's approval is expected.
21 months after submitting the application Sweden the last major obstacle on the rocky road to NATO to take. O Hungarian Parliament wants to decide on Sweden's request to join NATO on Monday, in its first plenary session, after returning from the winter break.
Since Fidesz-Prime Minister's Party Viktor Orbán recently expressed its support for the ratification of the proposal after a long blockade, Parliament's approval is expected.
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This would open the way for Sweden to join the Western defense alliance. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022. Finland was admitted to the alliance as the 31st member in April 2023. Sweden, on the other hand, fought for many months to obtain ratifications from NATO members Turkey and Hungary.
Fidesz “insulted”
Turkey ended the blockade in January. Immediately afterwards, the US government began selling F-16 fighter jets to Ankara. Hungary also signaled the green light a few days ago. Top politicians from Orban's Fidesz party had previously said they were “offended” by Sweden's criticism of democratic conditions in Hungary. This destroyed bilateral trust. This must be done by the Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson restore by visiting Budapest. Furthermore, they demand that Sweden be treated with the same respect as Turkey, especially since the Swede is also the Turkish president. Recep Tayyip Erdogan Fidesz said he traveled to end the blockade.
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Kristersson came to Budapest to meet Orbán on Friday. It was announced that Hungary would purchase four new Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets. Furthermore, the two EU countries extended by ten years a maintenance and logistics agreement for the previous 14 Gripen aircraft, which Hungary has leased to Sweden since 2006 and which are expected to become fully owned by Hungary in 2026, until 2036. This agreement was presented by media outlets affiliated with the Hungarian government as a victory for Hungarian diplomacy, although it was unclear to what extent Sweden should have accommodated Hungary. Details on financial conditions were not provided.
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At the same time, pressure has increased on Orban to finally let the Swedes into the alliance. Kristersson's visit and the fighter jet deal gave both sides the opportunity to save face. Orban emphasized at the press conference with Kristersson that the defense agreement was not a condition for Hungary's ratification by NATO. However, he added: “But it is clear: reaching an agreement on military and defense capabilities definitely helps restore trust between the two countries.”
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Sweden has so far received approval from 30 of NATO's 31 combined members. Even if the Budapest parliament ratifies it, it will still have to be signed by the President. This will probably be one of the first official acts of Tamas Sulyok, who the Hungarian parliament is expected to elect as Sweden's head of state on Monday, shortly after ratification. Sulyok has no opponent and is supported by Fidesz, which has a two-thirds majority in parliament. He would succeed Katalin Novak, who resigned as head of state two weeks ago due to her involvement in a pedophilia scandal.
The Hungarian ratification must then be formally deposited with the US State Department in Washington. In the following days, Sweden could be welcomed as the 32nd member of the alliance with a ceremony in which the Swedish flag will be raised in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels.