Hungary’s parliament voted to allow Sweden to join NATO, putting an end to a more than a year-long delay for the country to become a member and expanding the international alliance in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (L) shakes hands with Sweden's Ambassador to NATO Axel ... [+]
All NATO nations must approve a new member and until Monday Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—who had remained in contact with Russia—was the only hold out but agreed to support the move after Sweden said it would provide Hungary with fighter jets, Axios reported.
Hungary’s parliament voted 188 to six to allow Sweden to join the military alliance, according to the Associated Press.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said his attack on Ukraine was at least in part an effort to stop NATO’s expansion east.
Sweden and Finland—which joined in April 2023—both submitted applications to join NATO in 2022 after Russia first attacked Ukraine.
“Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security,” Ulf Kristersson said on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a post calling Monday “a historic day.”
This is a developing story.