Hungary ratifies Finland's NATO accession
Parliament of Hungary (Photo:REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo)
The Hungarian parliament has voted in favor of Finland's NATO membership, while making no concrete commitment to do the same for Sweden, AP reported on March 27.
Of the 199 deputies of the Hungarian parliament, 182 voted for the ratification of the protocol on Finland's membership in NATO, with six voting against the motion.
Hungary and Turkey were the last of NATO members to approve Finland and Sweden joining the alliance after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Turkey is now the only NATO member country whose parliament is yet to approve Finland's application.
Sweden and Finland simultaneously filed bids to join NATO in May 2022 amid Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Applications must be ratified by the parliaments of all NATO member states.
On Jan. 29, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara could agree to Finland's entry into NATO before Sweden's, amid diplomatic tensions with Stockholm.
On March 26, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the Parliament hadn’t ratified the applications of Sweden and Finland to join NATO yet, due to "disrespectful behavior of the political elites of the two countries towards Hungary."
After Finland and Sweden ultimately join the alliance, NATO's border with Russia will more than double.
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