US senators meet cold reception in Budapest over Sweden's NATO induction
19 February 2024 10:47
The senators communicated the Hungarian government's refusal during a press conference. This event was held on Sunday at the United States Embassy in Budapest.
The American delegation included Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, and Chris Van Hollen from the Democratic Party, alongside Thom Tillis of the Republican Party.
"Hungary is a sovereign nation; our parliament doesn't make decisions based on various congressional delegation visits," stated Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Foreign Minister, on Friday.
Orban makes significant statement on Sweden's induction into NATO
During his annual press conference in Budapest on Saturday, Viktor Orban implied that conclusions regarding his country's disagreement with Stockholm are near. He added that the Hungarian parliament could ratify Sweden's NATO induction during the spring parliament session starting on 26th February.
"We are nearing the ratification of Sweden's NATO induction at the onset of the parliamentary spring session," he declared.
The Orban government has time and again affirmed that Hungary won't be the last NATO member to assent to Sweden's induction. But, with the Turkish parliament's ratification of Sweden's admission in the latter half of January, and the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's endorsement, Hungary is now profoundly the last country to conclude on the matter.
Orban had earlier demanded that Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson travel to Budapest before the formal vote. The invitation was extended in the latter half of January. Kristersson conceded, but only after the Hungarian parliament votes for his country's NATO entrance.
