Sweden has taken one step closer to joining NATO as Hungary's parliament approved the country's bid to join the defense organization. This vote of confidence from Hungary after years of negotiations. Observers believe this is a significant geo-political blow to Russia, according to CNN.
Approval from the Hungarian parliament was the final obstacle to Sweden's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
On Friday, Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson visited Budapest, the capital of Hungary, to discuss defense and security concerns with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Both sides agreed to a deal to acquire new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, MSNBC reports.
Sweden will formally join the alliance after it submits its instrument of accession with the United States government, which is the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Including Sweden, NATO will now have 32 member countries. Sweden remained neutral in the ideological battle between Western Europe, the United States, and Russia for decades. However, that changed when Russia invaded Ukraine, in part because the country wanted to join NATO.
Finland became the 31st member of NATO in 2023.
Both Finland and Sweden will be protected under Article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member will be considered an attack against all.
Under the accession rules of the treaty, any member nation can veto a new country from joining. Most countries approved Finland and Sweden's applications immediately, but Hungary and Turkey held out for quite a while.
Turkey accused Finland and Sweden of not doing enough to stop Kurdish terrorist organizations, while Prime Minister Orban said those claims were "outright lies
The European Union froze billions of dollars meant for Hungary until the concerns were addressed. Turkey approved Sweden's application after the country strengthened anti-terror legislation and pledged to cooperate with Turkey on security concerns.
"The Hungarian parliament will meet on Monday and make the necessary decisions, and with this, we have closed a phase and opened a new one with the prime minister," Orban said on X.
While this is a positive overture, NATO members have long expressed concern that, while Budapest has publicly supported Sweden's bid, the foot-dragging was purposeful and only benefitted Russia.
