Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary was committed to ratifying Sweden’s bid to join Nato after Turkey opted to approve its accession to the western military alliance, leaving Budapest as the sole holdout.
After talking by telephone with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, Orbán said on social media platform X that he “reaffirmed” Hungarian support for Sweden’s membership. He said he would “continue to urge” the Hungarian parliament to ratify Sweden’s entry “as soon as possible”.
Frustration has grown among alliance members over foot-dragging by Budapest: the Hungarian premier incensed Nato partners on Tuesday, after Turkish lawmakers voted in favour of adding Sweden, when he invited his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson to the Hungarian capital to “negotiate on Sweden’s Nato accession”.