What's happened
Hungary's delay in ratifying Sweden's NATO membership bid has drawn international attention and pressure.
Why it matters
The delay in Hungary's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid is significant as it affects the security and credibility of the NATO alliance, and reflects Hungary's close ties with Russia.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that US national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Hungary that patience in Washington has its limits. Politico highlights Germany's pressure on Hungary to speed up approval of Sweden's NATO membership bid. The Guardian and AP News both emphasize the frustration and concern expressed by western officials over Hungary's delays in ratifying Sweden's NATO membership bid.
How we got here
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sweden and Finland have sought protection under NATO's collective security umbrella. Despite Hungary's promises, it has repeatedly delayed the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid, drawing frustration and concern from NATO allies.
More on these topics
-
Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait.
-
Viktor Mihály Orbán is a Hungarian politician who has been Prime Minister of Hungary since 2010; he was also Prime Minister from 1998 to 2002.
-
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries.
-
Hungary is a country in Central Europe. Spanning 93,030 square kilometres in the Carpathian Basin, it borders Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, a
-
Carl XVI Gustaf is King of Sweden. He ascended the throne on the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf, on 15 September 1973.
-
Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron is a French politician who has been President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra since 14 May 2017.
-
The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.