Budapest: Budapest is ready to accept Stockholm’s long-term NATO bid, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday. Hungary started a new phase with Sweden.
Hungary became the last member of the coalition to approve Sweden’s application to join NATO in May 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine. Orban, who said last week that Hungarian leaders would vote on the agreement on Monday, met with Kristersson on Friday and announced at a press conference that Hungary had purchased four metal planes from Sweden.
Orban said that the Gripen aircraft will expand Hungary’s fleet, “thus strengthening our military capacity and our ability to play a foreign role.” He said there are problems that end one phase and start again. Orban later added: “As NATO members, we will be able to build mutual trust.”
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in 2022, with Finland joining in April 2023, doubling the common border with Russia. However, Sweden’s competition was tough.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opposes Sweden’s accession to the EU and accuses Swedish officials of being overly tolerant towards militant groups, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Since then, Sweden has tightened its EU accession policy. Commitment to good relations with Türkiye on anti-terrorism law and security issues.
Orban, who is considered the EU leader closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin, first said that he had no objection to Sweden joining the bloc, and then said that he was working to prevent Sweden from joining the bloc.
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Hungarian member of the European Parliament Katalin Cseh , said: Orban’s ban of Sweden’s campaign last year was “another favor to Vladimir Putin.”
But after Turkey approved Sweden’s offer, EU Urban appeared to finally accept Sweden’s NATO membership, saying it had invited Kristersson in January. Visit Hungary to discuss Sweden’s accession conditions. – CNN News Network
