Hungary Ratifies Sweden's NATO Bid, Paving Way For Alliance Expansion. Swedish PM Hails 'Historic Day'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, advocating for closer military ties between Sweden and Hungary, emphasised the bolstering of national security through the Swedish accession to NATO.

File Photo: Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest.

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Hungary's parliament has finally ratified Sweden's bid to join NATO, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of the military alliance in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The vote, which took place on Monday, concludes over a year of delays that caused frustration among NATO partners as Ukraine faced off against Russian forces, news agency AFP reported.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hailed the development as a "historic day", expressing his country's readiness to contribute to Euro-Atlantic security. The ratification by Hungary, following Turkey's endorsement last month, clears the path for Sweden to become the 32nd member of NATO.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, advocating for closer military ties between Sweden and Hungary, emphasised the bolstering of national security through the Swedish accession to NATO. According to AFP, he remarked to parliament, "The Swedish-Hungarian military cooperation and Sweden's accession to NATO will strengthen Hungary's security."

Hurdles In Sweden's Bid For NATO Membership

The process of Sweden's NATO membership faced hurdles, particularly from Hungary, which repeatedly delayed ratification. Citing concerns over Swedish criticism regarding Hungarian domestic policies, Budapest prolonged the approval process. However, after negotiations between Orban and Kristersson, the Hungarian government signalled its support for Sweden's bid.

Orban's nationalist Fidesz party, with a parliamentary majority, backed the ratification, while opposition parties also favoured Sweden's accession to NATO, except for the far-right Our Homeland movement, AFP's report mentioned.

As per the report, some experts viewed Hungary's delay as a strategic move to extract concessions from the European Union and demonstrate Hungary's influence within the Transatlantic community. Mate Szalai, an analyst from Ca' Foscari University, suggested that Orban's actions aimed to balance domestic interests with international relations. "Orban wanted to go as far as he could without causing serious problems to the Transatlantic community while proving that Hungary is a power to be reckoned with," Szalai explained, as quoted by AFP.

Criticism of the Hungarian government from abroad, particularly regarding its confrontational stance, might paradoxically bolster support for Fidesz domestically, according to Szalai. He noted that certain initiatives of the Hungarian government were designed to provoke a response from Europe, ultimately benefiting the ruling party's popularity at home.