Hungary’s Parliament has officially ratified Sweden’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), marking a significant step towards expanding the military alliance following the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
The overwhelming majority of Hungarian MPs, with 188 votes in favor and only six against, endorsed Sweden’s NATO membership, hailing it as a historic day.
Sweden’s integration into NATO signifies a shift from its long-standing policy of self-reliance to a collective defense strategy.
Experts note that Sweden, traditionally viewing itself as a smaller nation in potential conflicts, now becomes part of a much larger entity when compared to Russia, considering the combined economic and demographic strength of the 32 NATO member states.
This strategic move is seen as advantageous for Stockholm, enhancing the region’s collective military capability from Turkey in the south to Svalbard in the north.
In previous remarks, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary is poised to ratify Sweden’s application to join NATO this month, removing the last hurdle for Stockholm’s bid.
In a national address, Orban stated, “The good news is that our current dispute with Sweden is moving towards a resolution.”
He highlighted the significant steps taken in collaboration with the Swedish Prime Minister to rebuild trust between the two nations.
Orban added, “We are on course to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership at the start of the parliament’s spring session.”
The Hungarian parliament is scheduled to reconvene on February 26th. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom expressed hope earlier this week that Hungary would soon ratify Sweden’s NATO membership, clearing the final obstacle to its accession.
