Sweden clears final hurdle in bid to join NATO after Hungary approves accession
Hungary’s parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Monday, marking the end of nearly two years of intense negotiations and dealing a geopolitical blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Obtaining approval from the Hungarian parliament was the final hurdle for Stockholm to join NATO. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited Budapest on Friday to discuss defense and security cooperation with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban. The two leaders reached an agreement, with Hungary set to acquire four new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets.
Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, only six rejected Sweden’s accession.
“Today is a historic day,” Kristersson remarked shortly after the vote. “Sweden is prepared to fulfill its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.”
At a press conference in Stockholm, Kristersson highlighted how Russia’s efforts to limit NATO expansion had backfired. “As for Russia, we can expect their disapproval of Sweden becoming a NATO member, just as they opposed Finland’s NATO membership,” Kristersson noted.
“Sweden is departing from 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment. It's a significant and serious step, but also a natural progression. NATO membership means joining a successful collaboration among democracies for peace and freedom,” Kristersson emphasized.
Sweden will formally join the alliance after submitting its instrument of accession to the United States government, which serves as the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed Sweden’s membership, stating that it will make the alliance stronger and safer.
With Sweden’s accession, NATO will now have 32 member countries, an ironic twist given that Russia launched its war against Ukraine in part due to the alliance’s expansion in Eastern Europe along Russia’s border.
Last year, Finland became the 31st NATO member, extending the alliance’s frontier with Russia by some 1,300 kilometers (830 miles).
Under NATO’s open-door policy, any country expressing interest and capable of upholding the bloc’s principles can join. However, any member state can veto a new country from joining. While most NATO members quickly approved Finland and Sweden’s applications, Hungary and Turkey initially withheld their support.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Finland and Sweden of being too lenient toward Kurdish terrorist organizations, while Orban alleged they were spreading falsehoods about Hungary’s adherence to European Union standards on the rule of law.
Such concerns led the EU to freeze funds intended for Hungary until these issues were resolved. Despite Hungary’s initial resistance, it later softened its stance on Sweden’s membership, reflecting its vested interest in Europe’s security.
Concerns arose that Orban's delay in approving Sweden's bid, despite public support, may have been influenced by his close ties with Putin. However, recent developments indicate Hungary’s alignment with the bloc’s foreign policy objectives.
Sweden’s accession to NATO comes amidst renewed Russian success on the battlefield in Ukraine and wavering Western support for Kyiv. Additionally, rising populist sentiment in Europe and the United States poses challenges to efforts to counter Russian aggression.
Despite these challenges, the approval of Sweden's NATO membership underscores a commitment to collective security and solidarity in the face of evolving geopolitical threats.
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