Hungary's Parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand and deal Vladimir Putin a blow in response to Russia's war in Ukraine. The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, came as a culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary's allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Sweden's membership. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban submitted the protocols for approving Sweden's entry into NATO in July 2022, but the AP reports that the matter had stalled in Parliament over opposition by governing party lawmakers.
Unanimous support among all NATO members is required to admit new countries, and Hungary is the last of the alliance's 31 members to give its backing. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called it "a historic day. We stand ready to shoulder our share of the responsibility for NATO's security," Kristersson wrote on X. The vote on Monday removed the final membership hurdle for Sweden which, along with neighboring Finland, first applied to join the alliance in May 2022, just a few months after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Addressing lawmakers before the vote, Orban said: "Sweden and Hungary's military cooperation and Sweden's NATO accession strengthen Hungary's security." A presidential signature is needed to formally endorse the approval of Sweden's NATO bid, which is expected within the next few days.
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