As of: February 27, 2024, 4:21 a.m
By: Stefan Krieger
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Press
Split
The path is clear for Sweden to join NATO.
The Hungarian parliament has approved accession.
The news ticker.
Decision
in Budapest: Will Sweden become the 32nd member of NATO?
Sweden
and
Finland
: The outbreak of the Ukraine war gives Sweden reason to join
This news ticker on Hungary's decision will be continually updated.
Update from February 26th, 6:25 p.m.:
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has welcomed the Hungarian Parliament's approval of Sweden's admission to NATO.
“The path for Sweden to join NATO is clear – that’s a win for all of us,” explained Scholz on Monday on the online service X, formerly Twitter.
“The decision strengthens our defense alliance and thus the security of Europe and the world.”
The Hungarian parliament had previously approved Sweden's accession to NATO with a clear majority after a wait of almost two years.
This means that Sweden has overcome the final hurdle on the way to joining the defense alliance: Hungary was the only NATO member state that had not yet ratified Sweden's application for membership.
Update from February 26th, 4:51 p.m
.: The Hungarian parliament approved Sweden's accession to NATO on Monday afternoon.
Stockholm's proposal was approved - after almost two years of waiting - by an overwhelming majority of MPs.
With ratification by the last NATO member, the Scandinavian country has cleared the final hurdle on the way to joining the Western military alliance.
Sweden has welcomed the Hungarian parliament's approval of its NATO application.
It was “a historic day,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on the online platform X immediately after the vote in Budapest. Sweden was ready to assume its share of responsibility for NATO security.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the vote.
Sweden's NATO membership will make the alliance stronger and more secure, the Norwegian wrote on X.
Sweden's NATO accession: Orban during the vote in parliament in Budapest © Attila Kisbenedek/AFP
Before the vote on Sweden's accession to NATO: Orban sends a signal
Update from February 26th, 4:18 p.m
.: A signal from Orban at the beginning of the plenary session: “Today we will (...) support Sweden's accession to NATO,” said Hungary's Prime Minister.
Orban emphasized that before ratifying Sweden's accession to NATO, it was important to clarify bilateral disputes.
Orban maintains good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Nevertheless, he today described Russia as an aggressor in the Ukraine conflict.
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On the other hand, Orban's Fidesz party showed again today that it does not want to take a clear position against Putin.
When the question of commemorating Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny arose, Orban called Navalny a “chauvinist.”
Before voting on Sweden joining NATO: agreement with the Hungarian Air Force
Update from February 26th, 1:35 p.m.:
After an agreement between Sweden and Hungary, according to which Stockholm will provide the Hungarian Air Force with four new Gripen fighter jets, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz government faction agreed to speak in parliament about joining NATO Sweden to vote.
Hungarian Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said, according to Hungarian media, that the four new aircraft would arrive in 2025 and 2026.
This brings the number of Hungarian Gripen fighters to 18. They were initially leased, the minister explained, but in 2026 they would become the property of the Hungarian state.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky also said Hungary is responsible for monitoring the airspace of several NATO allies, such as the Baltic countries as well as Slovenia and Slovakia.
Ukrainian media also reported that the four Gripen jets would be equipped with the latest technology.
Additionally, they would have increased firepower and weapon capacity.
This includes carrying heavier bombs and rockets.
Hungarian Parliament votes on Sweden joining NATO
First report from February 26th:
Budapest - The Hungarian Parliament will vote on Sweden's accession to NATO on Monday afternoon (February 26th, from 4:20 p.m.).
The vote is the Scandinavian country's last hurdle on the way to the Western military alliance: Hungary is the only NATO member state that has not yet approved Sweden's application for membership.
The right-wing nationalist head of government Viktor Orbán maintains a close relationship with Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin.
In May 2022, traditionally non-aligned Sweden applied for membership in the Western military alliance together with its neighboring country Finland in response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Finland was able to join NATO in April 2023, while Sweden had to wait due to the blockades by Turkey and Hungary.
At the end of January, Ankara gave the green light for Swedish accession - now all that is missing is the “yes” from Hungary.
Sweden joins NATO: Hungary signals support
Since Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party recently signaled its support for the ratification of the motion after a long blockade, Parliament's approval is expected.
This would clear the way for Sweden to join the Western defense alliance.
In light of the war in Ukraine, Sweden and Finland applied for membership in NATO in May 2022.
Finland was admitted to the alliance as the 31st member in April 2023.
Sweden, on the other hand, fought for many months longer to get ratifications from NATO members Turkey and Hungary.
Ulf Kristersson (l), Prime Minister of Sweden, and Viktor Orbán.
© Denes Erdos/dpa
Orbán's Fidesz party gives the green light to join NATO
Turkey ended its blockade in January.
Immediately afterwards, the US government initiated the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara.
Hungary also signaled the green light a few days ago.
Leading politicians from Orbán's Fidesz party had previously claimed that they were “offended” because there had been criticism of the democratic conditions in Hungary from Sweden.
This destroyed bilateral trust.
Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson must restore this by visiting Budapest.
In addition, they demand that Sweden be treated with the same respect as Turkey, especially since the Swede also traveled to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end his blockade, Fidesz said.
Kristersson came to Budapest to meet Orbán on Friday.
It was announced that Hungary would buy four new Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets.
In addition, the two EU countries extended a maintenance and logistics agreement for the previous 14 Gripen aircraft, which Hungary has leased from Sweden since 2006 and which are due to become fully Hungarian owned in 2026, by ten years until 2036. This deal was presented by Hungary's government-affiliated media as a victory for Hungarian diplomacy, although it remained unclear to what extent Sweden was supposed to have accommodated Hungary.
Details on the financial conditions were not given.
Sweden into NATO: 30 of the 31 NATO members have agreed so far
At the same time, pressure had increased on Orban to finally let the Swedes into the alliance.
Kristersson's visit and the fighter jet deal gave both sides an opportunity to save face.
Orban emphasized at the press conference with Kristersson that the defense agreement was not a condition for Hungary's NATO ratification.
Nevertheless, he added: “But of course: reaching an agreement on defense and military capacities definitely helps to restore trust between the two countries.”
So far, Sweden has received the approval of 30 of the 31 NATO members.
If the parliament in Budapest ratifies it, it still has to be signed by the President.
This is likely to be one of the first official acts of Tamas Sulyok, whom the Hungarian parliament is likely to elect as head of state for Sweden on Monday shortly after ratification.
Sulyok has no opponent and is supported by Fidesz, which has a two-thirds majority in parliament.
He would succeed Katalin Novak, who announced her resignation as head of state two weeks ago because of her involvement in a pedophilia scandal.
The Hungarian ratification must then be formally deposited with the US State Department in Washington.
A few days later, Sweden could be officially introduced as the alliance's 32nd member with a ceremony in which the Swedish flag will be raised in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels.
(skr/afp/dpa)