NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed optimism today that Sweden could be ready to join the military organization by March, after receiving positive signals this week from Hungary and Turkey, which previously rebelled against its membership.
Sweden, along with its neighbor Finland, set aside decades of military neutrality after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 to seek protection under NATO’s collective defense umbrella. Finland has since joined, and along with the other 30 allies, all must agree for Sweden to join.
However, Turkey and Hungary suspended the proceedings.
“Sweden’s entry into NATO will make the entire alliance stronger,” Stoltenberg told reporters while giving details of talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and pointing to new developments in Turkey.
“The message I received from Budapest is that the parliament will meet again at the end of February, so we have to wait for that. However, I am absolutely sure and counting on Hungary,” Stoltenberg said.
Hungary initially gave no clear reason for the delay, and Orbán insisted that his government would not be the last to support Sweden. But the tone towards Stockholm hardened as the European Commission refused to allow Hungary access to EU funds due to democratic backsliding.
Budapest accused Swedish politicians of telling “blatant lies” about the state of Hungarian democracy.
Orban, who has broken with NATO allies by taking a positive stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said on Tuesday that he had invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to Budapest to discuss “future security and defense cooperation as allies and partners”, AP reports.
