SWEDISH Foreign Minister Tobias Billström rejected Hungary’s invitation to negotiate regarding Sweden’s NATO accession. Hungary remains the only NATO member state that needs to approve Sweden’s accession into the military alliance.
Hungary faces growing pressure from allies to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession after the Turkish parliament approved the Nordic country’s bid to join the alliance on Tuesday.
On the same day, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, through the X platform, invited his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billström to negotiate about the country’s NATO bid.
“Today I sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson @SwedishPM for a visit to Hungary to negotiate on Sweden’s NATO accession,” Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary said.
The Hungarian leader also expressed his intention to invite Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to negotiate on Sweden’s NATO bid.
Unlike Turkiye, Hungary does not have a list of demands. However, criticism of Orbán’s governance delayed Hungary’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession.
Meanwhile, Billström declined Orbán’s offer, stating that he sees no reason to negotiate at this point but expressed hope Hungary will ratify Sweden’s membership as soon as possible.
The invitation took place as Hungary prepares to take over its duties as the new President of the Council of the European Union set to take place in the second half of 2024.
