Hungary, the last NATO country to approve Sweden's membership proposal, will hold a parliamentary vote on Monday.
Hungary has signed a deal to buy four fighter jets from Sweden, and Budapest is preparing to finally approve Stockholm's application to join NATO after nearly two years of delay.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Friday, commenting on the deal to buy four Saab JAS Gripen fighter jets: “We will not only maintain our air defense capabilities, but also strengthen them.'' Ta.
This “means that our commitment to NATO will be strengthened and our participation in NATO joint operations will also be strengthened,” Orbán added. Hungary also plans to expand related logistics contracts. The company currently leases Gripen aircraft under an agreement signed in 2001.
Christerson welcomed the agreement, saying, “The dialogue has been constructive and we have agreed to move forward in areas of common interest.''
“We don't agree on everything, but we do agree that we should cooperate more actively where we have common ground,” he added.
Hungary, the last country to approve Sweden's participation in the transatlantic military alliance, is scheduled to vote in parliament on Monday, following Turkey's ratification last month.
The delay in ratifying Sweden's NATO application has soured relations between Budapest and the United States and raised concerns among allies.
Sweden had been aiming to join Finland in a military alliance in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Finland became the alliance's 31st member state in April last year, doubling the length of the NATO-Russia border. It also strengthened the defense of the small Baltic states that joined the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told state radio that “some things are pending.” [bilateral] The military and weapons issue had to be resolved before the vote.
“We support peace, and Swedes support war in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” Prime Minister Orbán said. It may be possible to bridge the gap by adding “obvious differences in values.”
Sweden, with its long coastline in the Baltic Sea, could become an important logistics hub for NATO in Northern Europe if it joins NATO.
Military non-alignment was once a point of pride for Swedes, with a clear majority opposed to joining NATO, but the situation changed when the Ukraine war began.
Sweden already regularly participates in NATO exercises in the region.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has maintained close economic ties with Russia but has repeatedly delayed Sweden's ratification, citing dissatisfaction with Stockholm's criticism of the rule of law and Hungarian democracy.
The Hungarian leader also refused to send weapons to Ukraine, harshly criticized Western sanctions against Russia and called for a ceasefire early Friday.
“Russia cannot be forced to surrender in a military sense… A ceasefire is the only solution to this conflict,” he said. [in Ukraine] There is no solution on the battlefield. ”
