Orbán boycotts parliament session called to ratify Swedish NATO bid - The Guardian

Sweden applied to join NATO following Russia's war against Ukraine, but Hungary has so far prevented the membership.

Today, Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party boycotted a session of parliament called by the opposition to ratify Sweden’s Nato membership, even as a group of western ambassadors arrived in the building to urge a vote.

For months, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, repeatedly promised his counterparts within Nato that the country would not be last to sign off on Sweden’s membership. But Orbán reneged on the pledge when Turkey ratified the Swedish bid last month, leaving Hungary alone holding up Stockholm’s accession.

The Hungarian leader then publicly promised Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, that he would urge parliament to “conclude the ratification at the first possible opportunity” – only to also abandon that pledge by not showing up to a session initiated by the country’s opposition with the aim of voting on Sweden’s accession.

In a symbolic move, a group of 16 diplomatic representatives, including the American ambassador in Budapest, David Pressman, arrived at Hungary’s parliament on Monday.

“Sweden’s Nato accession is an issue that directly affects the United States national security and it affects the security of our alliance as a whole.”, Pressman stated.

“The prime minister pledged to convene parliament and urge parliament to act at its earliest opportunity. Today was an opportunity to do that – and we look forward to watching this closely and to Hungary acting expeditiously,” the American diplomat added.

The Hungarian delay has deeply frustrated western officials, who have expressed concern both about the length of delays and the lack of clarity over the reasoning behind Hungary’s moves.