Hungary Set To Ratify Sweden’s NATO Accession Today; Here’s All You Need To Know

Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, is set to ratify Sweden’s membership bid for North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] on Monday, February 26 after nearly a 21-month long procrastination and foot dragging. Hungary, deemed a “troublemaker” by Europe for backsliding in its democratic fabric and on rule of law under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, objected to Sweden’s entry without a clear reason or than Swedish criticism of Hungarian democracy. 

No substantive objections were tabled by ruling Fidesz party.

In a historic breakthrough, just a month after Ankara’s legislators endorsed Scandinavian nation’s accession, lifting major hurdle on previously non-aligned neutral state, Hungary’s Russia-aligned prime minister has agreed to break impasse.

'Reconstructing trust'

Budapest agreed to approve Sweden’s accession protocol after a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson last Friday to Hungary. "A deal on defense and military capacities helps to reconstruct trust between two countries,” needed to break logjam, Hungary’s Orbán said at a joint press conference alongside Swedish counterpart Kristersson.

two countries inked bilateral arms deal that earmarked   Sweden’s longstanding policy shift of neutrality. "We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that we should work more actively toger when we have a common ground," Kristersson said. "We're both members of EU and, soon, we are both allies in NATO."

Orban, agreeing to his Swedish counterpart, said “We have a mutual trust of cooperation, which is basis of guaranteeing of each or's security, so that's reason why it took some time.” He ded, "It's not [about Hungary] changing our mind."

Following Russia’s armed invasion of neighbouring Ukraine and annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts—Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia— two countries Sweden and Finland, that share approximately 1,340 km (830 miles) long border with Russia, decided to abandon ir policy of non alignment. Sweden and Finland historically avoided military alliances to remain neutral in times of war.

Stockholm applied for membership to NATO on May 18, 2022 in wake of Russia’s “special military operation," while western military bloc signed accession protocol for Sweden’s entry on July 5, 2022. 

“Joining NATO is best way for Sweden to protect its security. decision was taken in light of fundamentally changed security situation following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Swedish government said in a statement, ding that decision was backed by cross-party working group that argued that neutrality states have shifted since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

With Hungary’s ratification of Sweden to NATO, country will become 32nd member expanding bloc, a precedent Russia’s Putin uses justifying his war in Ukraine—to deter NATO’s expansionist agenda that brings foreign troops to Moscow’s doorstep and threatens national security.

Sweden's ratification withheld over 'grievances'

While Finland’s accession was approved last year, both Turkey and Hungary withheld Sweden’s ratification over grievances that y said were needed to be dressed by Stockholm before y cleared last obstacle to Nordic country's bid.

Turkish President Reep Tayyip Erdogan demanded tougher actions from Swedish counterparts towards crackdown of Kurdish Workers Party PKK, Kurd militia that Ankara holds accountable for a July coup. Erdogan vouched for more relaxed rules over arms sales, expecting United States to work on securing US Congress' endorsement for sale of F-16 fighter jets to replace his own Air Force’s aging fleet. 

As Hungary cemented its final hold-out, it was pressurised by European Union [EU] to fall in line and foster cooperation for alliance’s most signifiant expansion in eastern Europe since 1990s.