Sweden clears final hurdle in bid to join NATO after Hungary approves accession

# Sweden clears final hurdle in bid to join NATO after Hungary approves accession Hungary’s parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Monday, clearing the way for the Nordic nation’s accession to the alliance after nearly two years of intense negotiations and dealing a geopolitical blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Getting approval from the Hungarian parliament was the final hurdle for Stockholm joining NATO. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited Budapest on Friday to discuss defense and security cooperation with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban. The two sides appeared to reconcile, agreeing on a deal that would see Hungary acquire four new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets. Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, just six rejected Sweden’s accession. “Today is a historic day,” Kristersson said on X shortly after the vote. “Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.” At a press conference in Stockholm, Kristersson noted how Russia’s ambitions to limit NATO expansion had backfired. “As for Russia, the only thing we can safely expect is that they do not like Sweden becoming a NATO member. They didn’t like Finland becoming a NATO member either,” Kristersson said. “Sweden is leaving behind 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment. It’s a big step and something to take seriously but it is also a very natural step that we take. Membership in NATO means that we now come home to a large number of democracies’ cooperation for peace and freedom. A very successful cooperation,” Kristersson said. Sweden will formally join the alliance after it submits its instrument of accession with the United States government, which is the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed Sweden’s will become a member of the block now that all allies have approved its bid to join. “Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer,” he said. With Sweden’s accession, NATO will count 32 countries among its members, an ironic twist given that Russia launched its war against Ukraine in part due to the alliance’s growth in Eastern Europe along Russia’s border. Last year, Finland became the 31st NATO member, adding some 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) to the alliance’s frontier with Russia. As NATO states, Finland and Sweden will enjoy the protection granted under Article 5 of the treaty that established the alliance – which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all. https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538453443665726 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538453180332419 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538452906999113 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538452703665800 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538452476999156 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538452283665842 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538452116999192 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538451820332555 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538451476999256 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538451116999292 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538450880332649 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538449280332809 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538449026999501 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538448876999516 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538448640332873 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538448446999559 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538448233666247 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538447980332939 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538446513666419 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538446263666444 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538445923666478 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538426573668413 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538426400335097 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538426247001779 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538425753668495 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538423200335417 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538423033668767 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538422880335449 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538422640335473 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538422450335492 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538422313668839 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538422050335532 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538421857002218 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538421663668904 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538418303669240 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538418063669264 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538417873669283 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538417597002644 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538417350336002 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538417183669352 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538415580336179 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538415430336194 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538415300336207 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538415043669566 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538414807002923 https://m.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1538414543669616 https://rentry.co/mxwdr4ey https://pastelink.net/uvz10oek https://yamcode.com/sdfdsf-989 https://pastebin.com/nLwePbsL https://justpaste.it/fuu6u https://paiza.io/projects/bGlBpGnwOzCb-663I9YJZg?language=php https://onlinegdb.com/l9nDcfqyG https://paste2.org/Nwb9xw7m https://www.pastery.net/ykhhxm/ https://bitbin.it/R47Hcyp3/ https://paste.toolforge.org/view/30e685d0 https://notes.io/wpS3e https://ctxt.io/2/AAAI0uDsFA https://telegra.ph/walangpacul-02-27 https://ideone.com/eib4xd https://pastebin.freeswitch.org/view/167f33f1 https://groups.google.com/g/bismilahhh/c/gFlrlXsZVE4