Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that he is supporting Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, ending long-running tensions over whether or not his country would approve the Nordic nation's accession.
The remarks were made after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson that was held in Budapest on Friday. He noted that his country's Parliament would meet on Monday to move forward on ratifying Stockholm into the military alliance. This would pave the way for Sweden to finally become a NATO member.
Viktor Orban Approves Sweden's NATO Bid
The agreement that was reached on Friday also includes improved defense cooperation between the two countries. Orban's office also announced a plan to purchase four Gripen fighter-bomber aircraft that are manufactured in Sweden. Furthermore, there will be an extended contract for logistical services and training related to the aircraft.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Orban said that they were opening a new phase of cooperation between Hungary and Sweden. During a Friday press conference, Kristersson said that his country was prepared to strengthen defense cooperation with Budapest and expressed his gratitude to Orban for the meeting and the agreements, as per The Hill.
Orban said that Hungary did not change its mind on Sweden's NATO bid but had sought to rebuild trust with the Nordic nation. The Hungarian prime minister said that being a member of a military alliance together with another nation means that they are ready to die for each other.
He also insisted that the inclusion of Sweden into NATO was "not a business deal." Stockholm first applied to become a member of the military alliance along with Finland in Spring 2022, which came shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Helsinki's efforts were ratified more quickly, Stockholm has faced opposition from Turkey and Hungary.
Hungary's decision to approve Sweden's bid comes after Turkey was the first to move forward with the situation last month after securing a commitment from the U.S. to provide Ankara with F-16 fighter jets.
New Military Agreement
Budapest had stalled Sweden's NATO bid for nearly two years, which puzzled and exasperated the U.S. and other members of the military alliance. Orban and other Hungarian officials have given differing reasons for the blocking of Stockholm's NATO membership, according to the New York Times.
Orban spent many months complaining that Sweden did not show sufficient respect for his country. But on Friday, the Hungarian prime minister praised it as a trusted partner. He noted that it had taken many Hungarian refugees after Soviet troops crushed an anti-communist uprising in Budapest in 1956.
The Swedish-made Gripen warplanes, which are provided under a lease agreement, form the backbone of the Hungarian Air Force. Media outlets reported in the past few days that the prime minister was pushing for a better deal on the aircraft as part of his negotiations over Sweden's NATO membership.
Orban is considered to be the European Union leader who is closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He initially indicated that he had not opposed Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance but later made efforts to delay ratification. A Hungarian Member of the European Parliament said that this was simply another favor to Putin, said CNN.
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