BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Hungary's capital in December, his second trip to Budapest this year at a time when both countries remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Sweden's accession into the trans-Atlantic military alliance.
It wasn't clear whether Erdogan and Orbán would discuss Sweden's NATO membership, which has been delayed for more than a year by Hungary and Turkey.
Erdogan's government has delayed Sweden's ratification over accusations that Stockholm is too soft on Kurdish militants and other groups Turkey considers to be security threats.
Finland became a NATO member in April after Turkey and Hungary were the last two members of the alliance to ratify the Nordic nation’s accession.
Orbán's government has alleged that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy, but hasn't given specific conditions for approving Sweden's accession.
Persons:
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Bertalan Havasi, Viktor Orbán, Havasi didn't, Orbán, Hungary's, “, ___ Suzan Fraser
Organizations:
NATO, Turkish Strategic Cooperation Council, Hungarian, ATV, Associated Press, Fidesz, Sweden’s
Locations:
BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Hungarian, Turkey, Stockholm, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, “, Ankara