Hungary may ratify Sweden’s NATO bid this month, hints PM Orban

Hungary Prime Minister Victor Orban said on Saturday (Feb 17) that Hungary was "on course" towards ratifying Sweden's NATO bid this month. Hungary remains last holdout before Sweden can join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Orban was delivering state-of-the-nation address when he spoke about the issue.

"The good news is that our current dispute with Sweden is moving towards a conclusion," Orban said in his state-of-the-nation address.

"Together with the Swedish PM, we have taken important steps in order to rebuild trust," he said. He did not elaborate more on this point.

"We are on course to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO at the beginning of parliament's spring session," he added

The Hungarian parliament is due to reconvene on February 26.

Sweden abandoned its decades-old policy of military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and applied to become member of NATO. In order to include a new country in the alliance, all member countries need to give their assent.

Watch | Munich Security Conference 2024: Wars in West Asia and Ukraine in focus

'Nothing to negotiate'

Earlier this week, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom expected hope that Hungary soon ratifies Sweden's accession to NATO. The minister made it clear that there would be no negotiations on the ratifications. Orban has invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to "negotiate" Sweden's accession.

"There is nothing to negotiate, if there is a visit, it's not going to be a negotiation, that has been made very clear by my prime minister," said Billstrom earlier in the week.

Hungary supports Sweden in-principle but it has prolonged the ratification process. It has asked Sweden to stop "vilifying" Hungarian government. It is often accused of taking authoritarian turn.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The West has poured in billions and billions into Ukraine in humanitarian and military help. It was expected that after military help, Ukraine would stage a counteroffensive to win back territory lost to Russia. But this has not happened so far and Russian forces have been able to defend and dig-in.

(With inputs from agencies)