During a meeting with the speaker of the Swedish parliament on Tuesday, the Hungarian parliamentary delegation expressed support for Sweden’s NATO bid. The council aimed to resolve what Hungary’s governing party called “political disputes.”
Hungarian lawmakers raised questions about supporting NATO membership applications from Sweden and Finland, citing “blatant lies” about Hungary’s democracy from Stockholm and Helsinki. However, the delegation said the Budapest parliament would ratify Sweden’s NATO bid.
Csaba Hende, Hungary’s deputy parliamentary speaker, stated, “We support Sweden’s NATO membership” and added that the Hungarian government, president, prime minister, and most parliamentarians support Sweden’s NATO membership.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the statements from the Hungarian lawmakers, saying they were sending a positive message and recommending ratification. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström also met with the parliamentary delegation and expressed confidence that ratification would occur by the end of March.
Besides Turkey, Hungary is the only NATO member that has yet to approve the joint application of Sweden and Finland for membership. As a result of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government, the European Union has expressed concerns about the state of democracy in Hungary.
It is planned that a delegation from Hungary will visit Finland next to clarify its position. Hungary’s parliament will now consider ratification during a session on March 20 following the delegation’s trip to the two Nordic countries.
The meeting between the Hungarian delegation, the Swedish Foreign Minister, and the chairman of the Swedish parliament’s committee on foreign affairs were seen as a positive step towards improving bilateral relations between Budapest and Stockholm. The delegation’s trip to Finland will provide an opportunity to clarify further Hungary’s position on the NATO membership bid by Sweden and Finland.
The European Union defence ministers are currently holding an informal two-day meeting in Stockholm, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is scheduled to meet with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The Swedish presidency of the European Union allows the country to play a more significant role in the region’s defence and security policies.
The statement by the Hungarian parliamentary delegation expressing support for Sweden’s NATO membership bid is a positive development in the ongoing efforts to secure the country’s entry into the Western military alliance. The delegation’s trip to Finland will provide further clarity on Hungary’s position, and the EU defence ministers’ meeting in Stockholm will give a platform to discuss the region’s defence and security policies.
