(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, FEB 26 - Hungary's parliament is
expected to ratify Sweden's NATO bid Monday, ending more than a
year of delay that left fellow defence alliance partners furious
as Ukraine fought off Russian troops. Hungary remains the last
obstacle to Stockholm's NATO membership after Turkey ratified
their request in January. Following Russia's invasion of
Ukraine, Sweden and neighbouring Finland applied to join NATO in
May 2022. Finland became the 31st member of the US-led defence
alliance last April. But while Hungary repeatedly said it
supported Swedish membership in principle, it kept prolonging
the process by asking Sweden to stop "vilifying" the Hungarian
government. Budapest also accused Swedish officials of being
"keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues. After a meeting
Friday between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his
Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist
leader announced progress. "We have managed to clarify our
mutual good intentions," Orban told journalists after signing a
deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its
existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters. (ANSA-AFP).
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