Hungary’s Orbán backs Sweden’s NATO bid

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Friday he supported a bid from Sweden to join NATO, ending months of tensions over whether his country would approve the Nordic nation into the Western security alliance.

Orbán said after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Budapest on Friday that Hungary’s Parliament would meet Monday to move forward on ratifying Stockholm into the alliance, which would pave the way for Sweden to finally be included into NATO.

The agreement reached Friday also includes improved defense cooperation between Hungary and Sweden.

Orbán’s office announced a plan to purchase four Gripen fighter-bomber aircraft, which are manufactured in Sweden. There will also be an extended contract for logistical services and training related to the aircraft.

“Today we opened a new phase of cooperation between Hungary and Sweden,” Orbán wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Kristersson said at a press conference Friday that Sweden was ready to strengthen defense cooperation with Hungary and thanked Orbán for the meeting and agreement.

Orbán said Hungary did not change its mind on Sweden’s NATO bid but had sought to rebuild trust with the country.

“To be a member of NATO together with another country means we are ready to die for each other,” Orbán said at the press conference. “If you would like to make that kind of strong relationship, you need a proper basis for that, especially trust and mutual respect.”

Orbán also insisted the inclusion of Sweden into the alliance was “not a business deal.”

Sweden applied to NATO along with fellow Nordic nation Finland in spring 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. While Finland was included more swiftly, Sweden has faced opposition to its inclusion from both Turkey and Hungary.

Turkey finally ratified Sweden last month after securing a commitment from the U.S. to provide Ankara with F-16 fighter jets.

Hungary had also held the process up after some members of Parliament blasted Stockholm for what they called the spreading of lies about the state of Hungarian democracy.

But following Turkey’s approval, Orbán invited Kristersson to meet with him in Budapest to discuss the alliance bid.

For a country to be included into NATO, all 31 member nations must ratify it in.