Orbán also said he and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson have taken steps to “rebuild trust” between the two countries, without specifying what those steps were.
In a historic shift in policy prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022. Hungary is the only NATO country that has not yet signed off on Sweden’s bid, a process requiring the backing of all NATO members — something that has soured Hungary’s relations with the United States and its allies.
Orbán officially backed Sweden’s candidacy in January, but it still needs to be validated by the Hungarian parliament. The parliamentary vote should be a formality, as Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party holds a comfortable majority.
But Fidesz leaders earlier this month demanded that Kristersson first visit Budapest before the parliamentary vote. Kristersson has ruled out further negotiations with Budapest on Sweden’s bid, but has said he would be open to meeting Orbán after Hungary’s parliament ratifies the application.
Budapest had earlier vowed not to be the last to sign off on the Sweden’s membership bid, but that pledge fell by the wayside last month when Turkey gave the green light.
To explain the holdup, Fidesz has previously cited what it called unfounded Swedish allegations that the party has eroded democracy in Hungary.
