Aiexpress – On February 26, Hungary’s parliament made the decisive move to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership. This crucial step has cleared the path for Sweden to finally join the esteemed military alliance, after facing numerous delays over the course of the last year.
The vote occurred on Monday evening, receiving a simple majority. The measure will now be sent to Hungary’s interim president, Laszlo Kover, who has five days to sign off on the approval and notify the U.S. State Department.
Sweden’s entry into NATO was held up by Hungary, the last member to give their approval.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held a meeting in Budapest. Following the meeting, a vote took place.
During that meeting, Hungary and Sweden reached a military agreement. As part of the deal, Hungary committed to purchasing new Gripen planes from Sweden. Prime Minister Orban emphasized that this acquisition would greatly enhance Hungary’s military capabilities and further solidify its role in international affairs.
“On Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed enthusiasm for the start of a new phase of collaboration between Hungary and Sweden, alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson,” announced Orban.
Sweden, along with Finland, submitted their application for NATO membership in May 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In April 2023, Finland’s NATO bid received approval. However, Hungary, along with Turkey, took their time in approving Sweden.
Turkey’s opposition to Sweden came to an end in January when the Turkish parliament gave its approval for Sweden’s entry into NATO. Initially, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and other leaders had expressed concerns about anti-Muslim sentiments in Sweden, which led to their opposition.
