Hungary's Orban Supports Sweden's NATO Bid, Potentially Clearing Last Hurdle to Accession
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has announced his support for Sweden's entry into NATO, potentially clearing the path for the country’s long-awaited membership.
Orban conveyed to NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that Hungary would endorse Sweden's application and would seek prompt parliamentary approval.
Until recently, Hungary and Turkey posed objections to Sweden's NATO application. However, Turkey's parliament just approved Sweden’s membership, with President Erdogan set to formalize the agreement, provided the U.S. agrees to sell F-16 jets to Turkey.
Sweden, alongside Finland, sought NATO membership following Russia's attack on Ukraine. Finland has already joined, but Sweden faced delays, partly due to Turkey’s concerns about Sweden’s stance on certain groups such as the PKK.
Sweden has since tightened its anti-terror laws and promised increased security collaboration with Turkey.
A contentious issue arose when Sweden permitted a Quran-burning protest, causing Turkish outrage. But following recent developments and Turkey's approval, Orban has opened the door to finalizing Sweden's NATO bid, inviting his Swedish counterpart for talks and signaling final ratification once Hungary’s parliament reconvenes.