Swedish PM is in Budapest: NATO accession on the agenda – PHOTOS

The Prime Minister of Sweden is arriving in Budapest on Friday. The topic will be defence and security cooperation between Hungary and the Scandinavian country. It is expected that NATO membership will also be on the agenda. All that is needed is a decision by Hungary for Sweden to become a member of the North Atlantic alliance.

UPDATE below: Ulf Kristersson is already in Budapest.

Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden, will arrive in Budapest on Friday at the invitation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to discuss defence and security policy cooperation between Hungary and Sweden, and preparations for Hungary’s EU Presidency, Világgazdaság reports.

During their meeting, they will also review the strategic agenda facing the European Union, Bertalan Havasi, the Prime Minister’s press chief, said earlier.

At yesterday’s press conference after the Fidesz-KDNP parliamentary group meeting in Balatonalmádi, Fidesz parliamentary group leader Máté Kocsis said that the party had succeeded in silencing those within the governing party who opposed Sweden’s accession to NATO.

He added that the Swedish Prime Minister’s visit today and the preliminary talks of the past few days have taken relations between the two countries in the right direction.

Following Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s announcement that he would be travelling to Budapest, the leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group wrote to the House Speaker to put the vote on the ratification of Sweden’s accession to NATO on the agenda.

UPDATE: Kristersson is in Budapest

The Swedish Prime Minister has arrived in Budapest, according to photos published by MTI:

Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán on 23 February, 2024. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke about today’s meeting on Kossuth Radio’s Good Morning Hungary programme. He said that there were one or two pending military and arms issues with the Swedes, and therefore he asked the parliamentary group to give him time for negotiations. It is not known what exactly will be discussed in these agreements; however, there is a good chance that the domestic Gripen fleet will be expanded, with four more Gripen aircraft to be added to the existing 14 this year, Világgazdaság writes. There could also be talk of extending the contract for logistical support for the aircraft until 2026.

Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán on 23 February, 2024. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán on 23 February, 2024. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán on 23 February, 2024. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Ulf Kristersson and Viktor Orbán on 23 February, 2024. MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Read also:

• Swedish PM to visit Budapest on Friday
• PM Kristersson looks forward to discussing Sweden’s NATO membership with Orbán in Budapest