Hungary could ratify NATO membership for Finland, Sweden in March -report

BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary’s parliament could ratify NATO membership for Finland and Sweden early next month, local media reported on Tuesday, citing the preliminary agenda of next week’s parliamentary session.

Finland and Sweden sought membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year and have said they want to join “hand in hand”, but while most member states have given the applications the green light, Turkey and Hungary have yet to ratify them.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock last week called on the two countries to pave the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO, stating she expects all NATO members to ratify their bids to join the defence alliance “without further delay”.

News website HVG.hu said Hungarian lawmakers could start debating the legislation on March 1, with a vote on ratification taking place probably the following week.

A Hungarian government spokesman, parliament’s press office and the Hungarian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to emailed questions for comment.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in November that his nationalist government had already decided that Hungary would support Finland and Sweden’s NATO accession.

The Hungarian government submitted the relevant legislation in July, but parliament, in which Orban’s ruling Fidesz party has a two-thirds majority, has not yet brought forth the two bills for debate and approval.

Orban, re-elected in 2022 for a fourth consecutive term, reiterated on Saturday that being a NATO member was “vital” for Hungary, but said his government would not send arms to Ukraine or sever its economic relations with Moscow.

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Leslie Adler)