Hungary's parliament has ratified Sweden's bid to join NATO

U.S. ambassador to Hungary David Pressman and ambassadors from other NATO allies, including Denmark and Poland, attend the Hungarian parliament's extraordinary session, called by the opposition, in a surprise show of pressure on Hungary to approve Sweden's NATO accession bid, in Budapest, Hungary, February 5, 2024. REUTERS - BERNADETT SZABO

Hungary’s parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.

The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, was the culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary's allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Sweden's membership.

The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán submitted the protocols for approving Sweden's entry into NATO in July 2022, but the matter stalled in parliament over opposition by governing party lawmakers.

FILE - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg displays documents as Sweden and Finland applied for membership in Brussels, Belgium, May 18, 2022. Delegations from Sweden and Finland were expected in Ankara, Turkey, for talks with Turkish officials on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, to try and overcome Turkey's objections to their NATO bids. (Johanna Geron, Pool via AP, file) AP - JOHANNA GERON

Budapest also accused Swedish officials of being "keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

But after a meeting last Friday between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest, the nationalist leader announced progress.

"We have managed to clarify our mutual good intentions," Orban told journalists after signing a deal to acquire four Swedish-made fighter jets, expanding its existing fleet of 14 Jas-39 Gripen fighters.

Today we opened a new phase of cooperation between Hungary and Sweden with @SwedishPM Ulf Kristersson. Thank you for your visit, Prime Minister! 🇭🇺🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/tygr5OcxUP

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) February 23, 2024

Orban's nationalist Fidesz party, whose ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic KDNP holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, had already indicated it would support Sweden's bid.

All opposition parties except the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) movement were in favour of ratification.

Lawmakers greenlighted the Nordic nation's bid in the parliamentary vote on Monday afternoon.

The President is now expected to sign it in the coming days.

Sweden will then be invited to accede to the 1949 North Atlantic ("Washington") Treaty and officially become a NATO member. Official entry into the alliance will then take place shortly: Finland entered the group on April 4, 2023, after Ankara had given the green light four days earlier.

(With newswires)