Hungarian premier announces new phase in ties with Sweden before vote on NATO bud

During a joint press conference with his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emphasized that his country had embarked on a new phase of relations with Sweden. The announcement coincides with Budapest’s impending ratification of Stockholm’s protracted NATO bid. Hungary stands as the final member of the military alliance to endorse Sweden’s application to join NATO, a move initiated by Sweden in May 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Orban had previously indicated that the Hungarian Parliament would convene to vote on ratification on Monday. In the press conference held after his meeting with Kristersson, Orban disclosed that Hungary had secured the acquisition of four fighter jets from Sweden, marking a significant development in the burgeoning partnership between the two nations. The Gripen fighter jets would serve to argument Hungary’s existing fleet, Orban stated, “thereby significantly increasing our military capabilities and further strengthening our ability to play a role abroad.” Orban highlighted that the Hungarian Parliament is scheduled to convene on Monday to deliberate and make a decision on the matter. This pivotal step signifies the conclusion of one phase and the commencement of another in Hungary’s diplomatic relations and military strategy. “Being members together in NATO we [will be] able to reconstruct the full trust towards each other,” Orban further mentioned. In 2022, both Sweden and Finland submitted applications for NATO membership. Finland’s bid was successful, and it became a NATO member in April 2023, effectively doubling the alliance’s border with Russia. However, Sweden encountered obstacles in its bid for NATO accession. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised objections to Sweden’s NATO membership, alleging that Swedish officials were not sufficiently strict in their approach toward militant groups, particularly the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). In response to Turkey’s concerns, Sweden implemented stricter anti-terrorism measures and committed to enhancing cooperation with Turkey on matters of security and counterterrorism.