(DailyDig.com) – On February 26, the parliament of Hungary voted 188 to 6 to approve Sweden’s request to join NATO. Over eighteen months of talks and delays finally ended the block that Hungary’s government was enacting against Sweden’s membership in NATO.
Reconciliation between the two nations culminated in the meeting of the Prime Ministers of Sweden and Hungary, Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán, respectively, on February 23. In an agreement regarding their defense industry issue, Sweden agreed to sell Hungary four of their Saab JAS 39 Gripens and extend service and support systems for them, according to statements from both prime ministers.
All NATO member nations, currently 31 nations, must give their support for any country’s admission into the alliance. Finland and Sweden applied for admission in May 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, a move by Russia that was intended to prevent any further expansion of NATO near their borders.
Last month, Turkey was the second-to-last nation to approve Sweden’s request. Now that Hungary has approved Sweden for membership, the second expansion in one year (Finland being the first), military experts claim that President Vladimir Putin of Russia has received a major blow in the geopolitical arena.
Prior to their vote, Orbán addressed Hungary’s lawmakers by telling them that Hungary and Sweden’s cooperation and approving Sweden’s membership in NATO would only serve to give Hungary a strong sense of security.
Kristersson claimed in a post on Twitter that his nation is ready to stand with NATO for the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. In a press conference, he added that Sweden will no longer claim non-alignment and neutrality. They will cooperate with fellow democracies for freedom and peace.
The United States government is the NATO depository, with Jens Stoltenberg as the Secretary General. He confirmed that Sweden will be the 32nd member of NATO once they submit their “instrument of accession” to the US government. He stated that Sweden’s addition to NATO would make them safer and stronger.
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