“This is a big step and something to be taken seriously,” Sweden's prime minister told a press conference.
Stockholm's candidacy was approved by a majority of representatives (188 out of 199) in the Hungarian parliament on Monday.
At the start of this Monday's parliamentary session, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán welcomed the recent visit of his Swedish prime minister and the essential step to build “a fair and respectful relationship between the two countries” in addition to “differences of opinion”.
“Sweden's entry into NATO will strengthen Hungary's security,” Orban said.
Asked by reporters what made his country drop its opposition to Sweden's membership in NATO, Orbán, a right-wing nationalist with close ties to Russia, replied: “Being a member of NATO means that we are willing to die for each other. It is based on mutual respect. It was wise to take this process at the right pace.
Hungary's green light came after the Swedish prime minister and his Hungarian counterpart met on Friday and signed a new military pact, pledging to put aside all their differences.
When Finland became a member of the Atlantic alliance last year, Sweden was to stand Hungary and Turkey raised objections.
Hungary was reticent for reasons that were less clear and did not present concrete demands.
Some experts see Hungary's slowdown as a threat strategy to extract concessions from the EU and billions of euros currently frozen, or as a sign of Viktor Orbán's closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Reactions to Sweden's entry into NATO
Hungary's approval of Sweden's entry into the Atlantic alliance generates reactions from many leaders.
“I welcome the Hungarian Parliament's vote to recognize Sweden's membership in NATO. Now that all allies have ratified it, Sweden will become NATO's 32nd ally,” Stoltenberg wrote on the X social network.
French President Emmanuel Macron also congratulated Sweden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholes welcomed the decision to “strengthen” the security of “Europe and the world”.
“The path to joining NATO is clear for Sweden, which is a win for all of us. It is good that the Hungarian parliament approved the accession today,” Scholz wrote in X.
The U.S. ambassador in Budapest also reacted, saying that Sweden's accession to NATO would improve U.S. security and the security of the alliance as a whole. David Pressman also said the ratification was of “strategic importance” for Hungary.
According to NATO protocol, member states must notify the US government of a new country's approval. The Secretary General invites the new country to join the treaty, which is then forwarded to the US State Department, which formally invites it to become a member of NATO.
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