PM Orban Confirms Hungary's Support for Sweden's Membership, NATO Secretary General: I Look Forward to Its Ratification

JAKARTA - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a telephone call that the Hungarian Government supports Sweden's membership in the military alliance, he wrote on social media X.

"I reiterate that the Hungarian Government supports Sweden's NATO membership," wrote PM Orban, quoted by Reuters, January 25.

PM Orban added that he also told Stoltenberg that he would continue to urge the Hungarian national assembly to vote in favor of Sweden's accession to NATO, completing ratification at the first opportunity.

Stoltenberg said after the call, PM Orban and his government clearly support Sweden's membership in NATO, looking forward to its immediate ratification.

"I look forward to its ratification as soon as parliament reconvenes," wrote NATO's secretary general in X.

This is good news for Sweden and the military alliance, after previously Turkey and Hungary had not agreed to Stockholm's accession.

Last Tuesday, the Turkish Parliament approved Sweden's membership in NATO. If similar approval is obtained from the Hungarian Parliament, Sweden could immediately join NATO, following Finland, which also applied for accession after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but was first approved as a member.