On Friday, the prime ministers of Hungary and Sweden concluded an agreement on the two countries’ defence industries.
Under the new agreement, the fleet of Swedish-built fighter jets in Budapest will be expanded. The meeting in Budapest between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson came after months of heightened tensions between the two countries over Hungary’s refusal to support Sweden’s entry into NATO.
Kristersson travelled to Hungary after repeated invitations from the Hungarian government, which Orbán has hinted would be a precondition for his government to endorse Sweden’s NATO bid.
Friday’s defence agreement appeared to be a decisive point of reconciliation between the two governments, after which Orbán said his party was ready to endorse Sweden’s bid on Monday.
In a press conference after the bilateral meeting, Kristersson said Sweden would sell Hungary four Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, expanding its current fleet of 14 fighters. Sweden will also provide support systems and maintenance services for the aircraft. Kristersson said:
I strongly welcome this deepened cooperation on advanced fighting capabilities.
Orbán said the additional fighter jets would “significantly increase our military capabilities and further strengthen our role abroad” as well as enhance Hungary’s ability to participate in joint NATO operations.
The agreement paved the way for Hungary’s likely ratification of Sweden’s application to join NATO on Monday, when parliament will vote on the issue. Admission of new countries requires unanimous support from all NATO members, and Hungary is the last of the alliance’s 31 members that has not yet given its consent.
