Hungary backs new NATO expansion: Orban
2 Min Read
Budapest backs the new NATO expansion after being the only country still opposing Sweden's accession to NATO.
-
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a press conference with Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, January 16, 2024. (AP)
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, announced Wednesday that Hungary supports Sweden's accession to NATO and will soon schedule a ratification vote in the parliament. This decision comes after a little less than two years of Sweden attempting to enter the US-military-led coalition.
Sweden sought NATO membership in May 2022, pointing to the war in Ukraine as a "motivating factor". However, its application was resisted by Turkey and Hungary, both engaged in ongoing disputes with Sweden. The bloc's regulations mandate unanimous approval from all existing members for the admission of new ones.
“Just finished a phone call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,” Orban said on X (formerly Twitter). “I reaffirmed that the Hungarian government supports the NATO membership of Sweden. I also stressed that we will continue to urge the Hungarian National Assembly to vote in favor of Sweden’s accession and conclude the ratification at the first possible opportunity.”
Good call with @PM_ViktorOrban of #Hungary. I welcome the clear support of the Prime Minister and his government for #Sweden’s #NATO membership. I look forward to the ratification as soon as parliament reconvenes.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) January 24, 2024
Turkey's parliament officially ratified Sweden's NATO bid on Wednesday, January 24th, bringing an end to over a year of delays that had been a source of concern for Western powers engaged in a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine.
The majority of Turkish parliamentarians voted in favor of Sweden's bid to formally become the 32nd member of NATO.
President Erdogan is anticipated to sign Sweden's ratification document in the coming days, formally concluding Turkey's role in the protracted process.
It is worth highlighting that on Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban extended an invitation to his Swedish counterpart to Budapest for discussions on the matter. However, indications of strains emerged as Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom asserted that there was currently "no reason" to negotiate with Hungary regarding Stockholm's NATO candidacy.
Read next: NATO may deploy troops in Sweden before country joins alliance
