Stoltenberg: Sweden will join NATO by March

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting “Tagus Shaw” newspaper, after Turkey’s confirmation, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expects Sweden to join this military alliance by March. Hungary’s ratification is still pending. While Hungary still wants to negotiate on the request, Sweden sees no reason for this. This military coalition has expressed optimism. Stoltenberg said in Brussels that the country could potentially be ready to join by March.

Turkey this week confirmed Sweden’s entry into the Western military alliance – and Hungary also sent positive signals. Stoltenberg reported on his conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this week and said: Sweden’s entry into NATO will strengthen the entire alliance.

NATO Secretary General said : In Budapest, he was told that the country’s parliament will reconvene at the end of February. Now we have to wait and see. “But I am absolutely confident and counting on Hungary,” Stoltenberg said. The next session of the Hungarian Parliament will be held on February 26.

Since Sweden’s request, Hungary has not provided a clear reason for the delay in confirming Sweden’s NATO membership. Orban said his government would not be the last to support Sweden. Budapest accuses Swedish politicians of spreading lies about the state of Hungarian democracy.

Earlier in the week, Orban invited Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Kristerson to “negotiate » Join NATO and travel to Hungary. In response to Orban, Kristersson seems ready to travel to Budapest. But he first promised to meet Orban at the EU summit in Brussels next Thursday. Different travel to Budapest. At the same time, he said: But first we will meet in Brussels, where we can start “discussing” the issues. However, according to his belief, there is nothing left for “negotiation” regarding NATO membership.

He emphasized: We cannot negotiate for NATO membership. . On the other hand, we can discuss how we can best work together as members of NATO. As an example, he mentioned, among others, the Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter jets. Hungary has been using these planes for years.

Christerson described Turkey’s approval after a year and a half blockade as a “working victory”. This ratification became official when the so-called accession protocols were published in the Turkish official gazette. However, we have not yet reached our goal with regard to the last remaining ratification by Hungary, Kristersson said. So he did not want to predict the accession date. But Sweden will become a full member of NATO “very soon,” he said.

In response to Russia’s war against Ukraine, Sweden along with its neighbor Finland in In May 2022, it applied for NATO membership. Finland was able to join the military alliance in April, while Sweden is still waiting due to opposition from Turkey and Hungary. Sweden will become NATO’s 32nd member, when Hungary completes its procedures and all the allies’ ratification documents are received by the US State Department.

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