As pressure mounts on Budapest to confirm Sweden’s NATO membership when parliament reconvenes following its winter vacation, a bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers will go to Hungary on Sunday.
As a result of Hungary’s actions, ties with the United States and its allies have soured, and Sweden is now the only member of NATO without having had its application ratified by all members.
In a historic change in course brought about by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden submitted an application to join NATO in May 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has better ties with Russia than other EU states and most NATO members, says his government backs Sweden joining the alliance, but the legislation nevertheless remains stranded.
The U.S. Embassy said in a statement on Friday the senators would travel to Hungary “on a mission focused on strategic issues confronting NATO and Hungary”.
Sweden’s NATO accession is an issue that directly affects the United States’ national security and also the security of the alliance as a whole, U.S. Ambassador David Pressman said this month.
Sweden’s NATO bid could be ratified when parliament reconvenes in late February, the ruling Fidesz party’s parliamentary group has said. Sweden’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that he expects that Hungary to approve the application soon.
