NATO enlargement

USA increases pressure, senators travel to Hungary

The pressure on Viktor Orbán is growing. This weekend, US senators are coming to Budapest to finally finalize the ratification of Sweden's accession to NATO.(Bild: AP)

The USA is increasing the pressure on Hungary on the issue of Sweden's accession to NATO. This weekend, Democratic and Republican senators are traveling to Budapest to discuss "strategic issues". Hungary's foreign minister, however, was less than impressed by the US visit.

This was the wording used by the US embassy in Budapest on Friday in connection with the trip. The meeting will primarily focus on Sweden's NATO membership and issues relating to the aid package for Ukraine, Klubradio reported on Friday.

Hungary's foreign minister: "Don't tell us how to live"
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry issued the following statement on the occasion of the visit: "We warmly welcome all our foreign visitors, including the delegation from the US Congress, so that we can show them that everything they read about Hungary in their liberal American media is nothing but lies." However, department head Péter Szijjártó advised the senators not to come "if they want to tell us how to live and what decisions we have to make". Hungary is a sovereign state. The legislative process could not be influenced from outside.

The Hungarian parliament had repeatedly postponed the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership. At the beginning of February, the opposition requested a special session on the subject. However, the MPs from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's national-conservative Fidesz party stayed away. This makes Hungary the last NATO country to block ratification.

NATO Secretary General recently expressed optimism
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently stated that Orbán had again assured him that a final decision would be made after the start of the parliament's spring cycle. It is suspected in NATO and the EU that Orbán wants to reprimand Sweden for its criticism of rule of law shortcomings in Hungary.