US ‘disappointed’ Hungary taking so long to approve Sweden joining Nato
The US is disappointed Hungary’s ratification of Sweden joining Nato is taking so long, Washington’s ambassador has said, saying that Budapest is “really alone” and that the Hungarian government is pursuing a “foreign fantasy” instead of foreign policy.
After months of delays, Turkey’s parliament approved Sweden’s Nato membership this week. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, signed it off on Thursday, leaving Hungary as the only country in the 31member western military alliance that has yet to ratify the Swedish bid.
While the Hungarian government formally supports Sweden’s accession, the country’s parliament has avoided voting on the matter, fuelling frustration among Nato allies and raising questions about the motivations of Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán.
The Hungarian leader routinely criticises his western allies and has been nurturing relationships with Moscow and Beijing.
In an interview at the US embassy in Budapest on Thursday afternoon, the US ambassador, David Pressman, said: “An alliance is only as strong as the commitments that we make to each other and the commitments that we keep.
“I think that it’s important that the Hungarian government live up to its commitment, and its commitment has been that it will not be the last ally to ratify Sweden’s accession.”
He added: “Keeping your word is obviously an important element of trust in any relationship.”
Domestically, senior Hungarian politicians have argued that Sweden’s bid has not been put to a parliamentary vote because the country has been critical of the state of Hungarian democracy. Nevertheless, diplomats familiar with the Nato application process say Hungary never formally raised any objections to Swedish membership.
This week, Orbán sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him for discussions, a proposal Sweden’s prime minister has accepted while indicating he will not be negotiating over the country’s Nato membership.
Asked whether Hungary had presented any demands, Pressman said: “The United States is unaware of what is causing the delay by the Hungarian government.”
He was blunt about Washington’s position, saying: “We’re disappointed that this has taken so long. And we look forward to Hungary living up to the commitment it’s made to the United States and to its other allies.”
The ambassador also underscored Budapest’s deepening diplomatic isolation, beyond the issue of Sweden’s Nato accession.
“Hungary is really alone – and it