The final obstacle on Sweden's path to NATO has fallen. After more than 600 days of opposition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has given the green light for the Nordic nation to proceed on its journey to becoming a member of the transatlantic military alliance.
On February 26, the Hungarian Parliament voted in favor of ratifying Sweden's NATO accession protocol, and in a few days, the Nordic country will officially become the alliance's 32nd member.
“Today is a historic day,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said happily. “We are ready to assume our responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.”
The vote in the Hungarian Parliament resulted in 188 votes in favor and 6 against after Orban made it clear that delegates from his ruling Fidesz party would no longer have any reservations about ratification.
"Sweden's accession to NATO will enhance Hungary's security," Orban said, calling Kristersson's earlier visit to the Hungarian capital an essential step toward building "fair and respectful relations between the two countries."
Earlier on February 23, Kristersson and Orban met in Budapest to discuss defense and security cooperation, with the concrete result being that Hungary would be able to purchase four new Gripen fighter jets manufactured in Sweden, in exchange for the Central European nation no longer hindering Stockholm's path to NATO membership.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed “the Hungarian Parliament’s vote to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO. Now that all allies have approved, Sweden will become NATO’s 32nd ally. Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said all allies would benefit from Sweden's membership. Scholz said: "It's good that the Hungarian Parliament has approved Sweden's accession."
The induction ceremony for new members could be held at NATO headquarters in Brussels as early as March 1st.
The Hungarian Parliament voted in favor of ratifying Sweden's NATO accession protocol, with 188 votes in favor and 6 against, on February 26, 2024. Photo: Al Jazeera
For the United States, Stockholm's accession to NATO is significant because NATO is key to the Washington-led effort to counter Moscow, particularly in Russia's campaign in Ukraine, and the defense alliance has long played a central role in maintaining U.S. security and interests in Europe.
From Sweden's perspective, the Russia-Ukraine conflict in the heart of the "old continent" has prompted the Nordic nation to abandon its decades-long military non-alignment and move toward the world's largest military alliance.
The successful admission of Sweden comes amid growing uncertainty about the future of NATO, as Donald Trump – the leading Republican candidate in the US presidential race this November – threatens to abandon security guarantees for at least parts of Europe if he returns to the White House.
Both Sweden and its neighbor Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022, just months after Russia invaded Ukraine. Finland officially joined the alliance last April.
Ukraine has also lobbied to join the alliance. Kyiv submitted an application for expedited membership in September 2022, but its request has caused divisions among NATO members.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized NATO for not giving a specific timeframe for Ukraine's membership. Last summer, U.S. President Joe Biden said it would be "too early" for Ukraine to begin the accession process before the fighting ends .
Minh Duc (According to Axios, EU News, Politico EU)
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