Sweden expects Hungary to soon approve NATO membership

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hold a press conference at the Swedish Government headquarters Rosenbad in Stockholm, October 24, 2023. TT News Agency/Jonas Ekstromer via REUTERS/File Photo

OSLO (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign minister said on Wednesday that he expects that Hungary will soon approve the Swedish NATO membership application.

"We welcome that Turkey has completed its ratification process, and expect Hungary to follow shortly," Tobias Billstrom said in a speech to parliament.

Hungary is the only NATO member that has not approved Sweden's application to join the alliance, with the ruling nationalists citing what they call undue Swedish allegations that they have eroded democracy in Hungary.

(Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Louise Rasmussen)