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[1/5] Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Belgium December 10, 2020. Hours after he spoke, thousands rallied in Hungary's capital Budapest, a liberal stronghold that has largely opposed Orban's agenda. Some voiced fears that Hungary might end up leaving the EU under his rule, a prospect Orban has repeatedly dismissed. Brussels is only a bad contemporary parody," Orban said in a speech in the western town of Veszprem carried exclusively by public television. "Moscow was beyond repair, but Brussels and the EU can still be fixed," Orban said, adding that current leaders of the bloc failed to protect Europe's safety, freedom and wellbeing.

Persons: Viktor Orban, John Thys, Orban, Hungary's, " Orban, Vladimir Putin, Gabor Sebo, Gergely Szakacs, Ed Osmond, Ros Russell Organizations: Pro, EU, U.S, Wood & Company, Thomson Locations: Hungarian, Brussels, Belgium, Budapest, BUDAPEST, Hungary, Hungary's, Moscow, Veszprem, U.S, China, Ukraine, Europe, Russia, EU

☆ Russia's Gazprom to supply extra gas to Hungary and China this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Gazprom PAO FollowOct 22 (Reuters) - Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) will supply extra gas to Hungary through the coming winter and will also provide China with an additional 600 million cubic metres this year on top of contractual obligations, TASS news agency quoted its boss Alexei Miller as saying. Orban told Putin when they met in Beijing on Tuesday that Hungary never wanted to oppose Russia and was trying to salvage bilateral contacts. "And we have an agreement that we will supply additional volumes on an ongoing basis in the coming winter", he said. "We regularly supply additional volumes to the Chinese market. This year, I think (the extra amount) will be 600 million cubic meters of gas," he was quoted as saying.

Persons: Alexei Miller, Vladimir Putin, Miller, Viktor Orban, Orban, Putin, Gazprom's Miller, Mark Trevelyan, David Holmes Organizations: Gazprom PAO, Gazprom, Investigations, European Union, Putin, NATO, Ukraine, EU, Thomson Locations: Hungary, China, Russian, Europe, Ukraine, Baltic, Beijing, Russia, U.S

☆ U.S. says it is 'concerned' about Hungary's relationship with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sputnik/Grigory Sysoyev/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The United States is concerned about Hungary's relationship with Russia, and finds Prime Minister Viktor Orban's decision to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin "troubling", the U.S. Embassy in Budapest said on Friday. He is the only EU leader to attend the forum or to maintain close ties with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. "The United States is concerned about Hungary’s relationship with Russia," U.S. Orban told Putin during their meeting in Beijing that Hungary never wanted to oppose Russia and was trying to salvage bilateral contacts. Relations between Budapest and Washington have soured in the past year because of Hungary's foot-dragging over the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Grigory Sysoyev, Viktor Orban's, Orban, Putin, Hungary David Pressman, Pressman, Balazs Orban, Boldizsar Gyori, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Hungarian, Forum, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S, Embassy, Putin, NATO, Radio Free, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, United States, Russia, Budapest, Ukraine, Hungary, Sweden, Moscow, Washington, NATO

☆ Putin and Orban reaffirm Russian-Hungarian ties amid international strains
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a meeting ahead of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 17, 2023. Sputnik/Grigory Sysoyev/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his closest ally among European Union leaders, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral ties amid international tensions over the war in Ukraine. The men met in the government guest house where Putin was staying before the start of an international forum on China's Belt and Road Initiative. One of these countries is Hungary,” Putin told Orban. In an emailed response to Reuters, Orban's press chief Bertalan Havasi said Orban and Putin had discussed gas and oil shipments and nuclear energy issues.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Grigory Sysoyev, Orban, Putin, ” Putin, Bertalan Havasi, Havasi, Alexander Marrow, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Hungarian, Forum, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, European Union, Initiative, Kyiv, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Hungarian, Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Brussels, Russian, Europe, Moscow, Budapest

BUDAPEST/PRAGUE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Robert Fico's election win in Slovakia after he had campaigned to end military aid to Ukraine shows creeping discontent in Central Europe over the war with Russia, but analysts do not expect a major policy turn-around by Bratislava or Warsaw. Fico's victory in Saturday's election prompted concerns that his new government would see NATO-member Slovakia joining Hungary in challenging the European Union's consensus on support for Ukraine. However, analysts do not see a big policy switch regarding Ukraine in Slovakia and Poland. MODERATING EFFECTIn Slovakia, Fico's SMER-SSD party won the election with 23% of the vote. "The bigger challenges are not Slovakia, or Hungary but the U.S. election cycle and the impact that has on support for Ukraine."

Persons: Robert Fico's, Fico, Viktor Orban, Roger Hilton, Fico's, Peter Pellegrini, Samuel Abraham, Robert Fico, Zuzana Caputova, Radovan Stoklasa, Pellegrini, Abraham, legitimise, Orban, Mujtaba Rahman, Rahman, Krisztina, Jan Lopatka, Angus MacSwan Organizations: NATO, SNS, Republika, REUTERS, EU, Russia, Ukraine, Reuters, Eurasia, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, PRAGUE, Slovakia, Ukraine, Central Europe, Russia, Bratislava, Warsaw, Hungary, Russian Poland, Saturday's, Poland, GLOBSEC, SMER, Brussels, Budapest, Kyiv, Europe, Prague

☆ Tough issues to clear before EU membership talks with Ukraine -Hungary's Orban
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that "very difficult questions" would need to be answered before the European Union could even start membership talks with Ukraine. EU countries are due to decide in December whether to allow Ukraine to begin accession negotiations, which would require the unanimous backing of all 27 members. "So I think we need to answer very long and difficult questions until we get to actually deciding about the start of accession talks," he said. Commenting on Orban's remarks, Ukraine's foreign ministry said it was positive "that the Hungarian Prime Minister is concerned about Ukraine's accession to the European Union". "We would like to inform that Ukraine has not changed its territory within its internationally recognised borders," the ministry added.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban, Krisztina, Yuliia Dysa, Mark Potter, Susan Fenton, Peter Graff Organizations: European Union, Ukraine, Diplomats, Hungarian, European, NATO, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungarian, European, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Moscow

☆ Slovakia Struggles With Surge in Illegal Migrants as Election Looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

"They don't want to live or work here, they are in transit, they rush through as they can," said Jozsef Barta, 70. Although he knew of no criminal incidents involving the migrants, he added: "People are scared to walk in the street." The number of illegal migrants detained in Slovakia has increased ninefold from a year ago to more than 27,000 so far this year, the country's interior ministry said. Hungarian police data also showed a jump in illegal migrant crossings on Hungary's southern border with Serbia in the past weeks, from where they head for Slovakia or Austria. Slovak police patrols are helping their Hungarian colleagues to catch the smugglers but that has proven little deterrent.

Persons: Jozsef Barta, Renata Gregusova, Robert Fico, Fico, Marian Cehelnik, Viktor Orban, Krisztina, Jason Hovet, Jan Lopatka, Gareth Jones Organizations: European Union, Europe's, Police, Reuters, EU Locations: CHLABA, Slovakia, IPOLYDAMASD, Hungary, Chlaba, Germany, Hungarian, Slovak, Europe, Czech Republic, East, Afghanistan, Serbia, Austria, EU, Prague

☆ Hungary's Orban condemns EU federalism, LGBTQ 'offensive'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, July 22 (Reuters) - Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday renewed an attack on the European Union for conducting what he called an "LGBTQ offensive", saying his nationalist government would protect the country's Christian roots. He has also clashed with Brussels over other issues including the rule of law, and reforms to Hungary's media and the judiciary. The EU is "either an empire or (individual) nations ... We should not have any illusions: the federalists are trying to squeeze us out," Orban said. "They openly wanted a change in government (in 2022) in Hungary," Orban said, adding that the same was now true of Poland. "The EU rejects Christian heritage, carries out a replacement of its population via migration ... and conducts an LGBTQ offensive," he said on Saturday.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban, " Orban, Krisztina, John Stonestreet Organizations: Hungary's, European Union, EU, Law, Justice, Britain, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Romania, Brussels, Germany, France, EU, Hungary, Poland, Warsaw, Budapest

☆ Thousands join Budapest Pride in protest at state's anti-LGBT moves
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, July 15 (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarians braved scorching heat for the annual Pride march in Budapest on Saturday, protesting against government controls over public displays by the LGBT community. "I think the Budapest Pride is really liberating, we can be very proud of it, but I think we are still discriminated in the grey everyday life," designer Danyi Mark. [1/5]People attend the annual Pride march in Budapest, Hungary, July 15, 2023. On Friday, the embassies of the United States, Germany and 36 other countries urged Hungary to protect LGBT rights and scrap discriminatory laws. The government stance towards Hungary's LGBT community was seen as resonating with Orban's conservative voters in the countryside ahead of his fourth-term election win in 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Gergely Varga, Danyi Mark, Bernadett Szabo, Hungary's, David Pressman, Boldizsar Gyori, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: European Union, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Budapest, Hungary, United States, Germany

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning their policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson react during a meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. "This has been a good day for Sweden," Kristersson told reporters, saying the joint statement on Monday represented "a very big step" toward the final ratification of Sweden's membership of NATO. After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would now no longer block Sweden's NATO membership ratification, Turkish approval would remove the last hurdle for Swedish accession to NATO, applications for which must be approved by all members.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Yves Herman / Pool Erdogan, Kristersson, Monday, Stoltenberg, Viktor Orban's, Joe Biden, Niklas Pollard, Andrius, Anna Ringstrom, Johan Ahlander, Ezgi, John Irish, William Maclean, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, REUTERS, European Union, Finland's, Hungarian, Lockheed Martin Corp, Pawlak, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Swedish, Madrid, Ankara, United States, Lithuania, Turkey's, European, Budapest, Washington, Istanbul

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg says Turkey agrees to move ahead with Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, July 10 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius. Stoltenberg declined to give a date for when Sweden's accession would be ratified by the Turkish parliament, the grand national assembly, which would decide on the exact timing. Applications to the alliance must be approved by all NATO members and while Finland's was given the go-ahead in April, Turkey and Hungary have held off on clearing Sweden's bid. Stockholm has been working hard at its bid ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, together with the United States and its allies, urging Turkey to abandon its opposition. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would not block Sweden's NATO membership ratification.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Jens Stoltenberg, Erdogan, Stoltenberg, Finland's, Viktor Orban's, John Irish, Sabine Siebold, Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom, Justyna Pawlak, Niklas Pollard Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Sweden, Turkish, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, United States, Hungarian, Budapest

☆ Ukraine says Hungary ignores requests for contact with transferred prisoners of war
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine said on Monday that Hungary has been ignoring requests for contact with prisoners of war that Kyiv said had been secretly transferred from Russia and called the move an act of self interest on Prime Minister Viktor Orban's side. Hungary, which under Orban has forged strong political and economic ties with Russia and has not cut them since Moscow invaded Ukraine 16 months ago, said on June 9 that it had received a group of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia. "All attempts by Ukrainian diplomats over recent days to establish direct contact with Ukrainian citizens have failed," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on his Facebook page. Hungary's foreign ministry has not immediately responded to Reuters' requests for a comment. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the operation to transfer the prisoners was carried out solely in the political interests of Orban.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Oleg Nikolenko, Gergely Gulyas, Gulyas, Dmytro Kuleba, Viktor Orban, Kuleba, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian, Melbourne

☆ Ukraine repatriates three POWs from Russia via Hungary - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, June 20 (Reuters) - Kyiv repatriated three Ukrainian prisoners of war from Hungary after a group of POWs was transferred there from Russia without coordination with Kyiv, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. "The Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest managed to bring back three Ukrainian prisoners of war from Hungary," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on his Facebook page. Ukraine said on Monday that Hungary has been ignoring its requests for contact with the prisoners of war. It has cast the transfer of the POWs to Hungary as a publicity stunt by Orban. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv newsroom; Editing by Tom Balmforth and Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Orban, Gergely Gulyas, Anna Pruchnicka, Tom Balmforth, Alison Williams Organizations: Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Russia, Moscow, Budapest, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Poland slams vote questioning Hungary holding EU presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, June 1 (Reuters) - Poland rebuked on Thursday the European Parliament backing a resolution that questions Hungary's ability to hold the European Union presidency next year due to concerns about judicial independence. According to a calendar agreed by all EU governments in 2016, Hungary is to hold the presidency of the bloc between July and December 2024. Hungary and Poland have long been at odds with the EU over multiple issues, such as the rule of law, media freedoms and LGBTQ rights. The EU has frozen billions of euros in funds for Budapest and Warsaw due to its concerns. Hungary has refused to provide any military equipment to its neighbour to help it fight off a Russian invasion, and Hungary has criticised EU sanctions against Moscow.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Viktor Orban's, Balazs Orban, Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: WARSAW, Parliament, Union, EU, European Union, European Commission, . State Department, Twitter, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Moldova, Budapest, Warsaw

☆ Hungarians protest against new teachers' law, police violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Friday's protest came after a series of rallies and strikes for higher salaries and better working conditions for teachers. Protesters on Friday marched against the new so-called Status Law that would also significantly increase teachers' workload. Critics refer to the legislation as the "Revenge Law," perceived as punishment for teachers' year-long resistance. Almost 5,000 teachers have already said they will leave their profession if the Status Law comes into force. Reporting by Boldizsar Gyori, editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Teenagers tear-gassed at protest against Orban's education reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Police officers spray people, as protesters take part in a protest against Hungarian government's 'Status Law? which may increase teachers' workloads and restrict their independence in Budapest, Hungary, May 3, 2023. The police action follows a thousands-strong rally in central Budapest earlier on Wednesday against legislation that would significantly increase teachers' workload. The protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations over the past year for better working conditions for teachers. Hungary is facing a growing shortage of teachers mainly due to low wages and the unpredictability in the regulatory environment.

[1/5] Pope Francis greets the crowd ahead of a holy mass at the Kossuth Lajos Square during his apostolic journey in Budapest, Hungary, April 30, 2023. Francis believes migrants fleeing poverty should be welcomed and integrated because they can culturally enrich host countries and boost Europe's dwindling populations. He believes that while countries have a right to protect their borders, migrants should be distributed throughout the European Union. In his homily, Francis also spoke against doors "closed to the world". On Friday, he quoted what St Stephen, the 11th century founder of Christian Hungary, had written about welcoming strangers.

☆ ECB says Hungary government decree has impaired central bank independence
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, April 26 (Reuters) - Hungary's government has infringed the National Bank of Hungary's (NBH) independence with a decree restricting access to the bank's discount bill and by extending a cap on large commercial bank deposits until end-June, the European Central Bank said on Wednesday. Hungary's government last month extended a cap on large commercial bank deposits until the end of June and imposed restrictions on the transfer of central bank discount bills to curb "unjust" income earned on central bank facilities. "The decree, including the interest rate cap, interferes with the independence of the (NBH), since it impedes the (NBH) from independently choosing the necessary means and instruments to conduct an efficient monetary policy," the ECB said. "Therefore, the decree infringes the independence of the (NBH) under Article 130 of the Treaty." Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government announced a cap on large commercial bank deposits after the NBH launched a quick deposit facility with an 18% interest rate last October to stem falls in the forint.

☆ Hungary quit Russian bank as U.S. sanctions 'ruined' it, PM Orban says as relations worsen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BUDAPEST, April 14 (Reuters) - Hungary abandoned a Budapest-based Russian bank this week because U.S. sanctions had "ruined" it, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday, adding that Hungary would comply with sanctions on Russia but continue to speak out against them. Russia is its largest shareholder, while Hungary was second-largest and senior Hungarian officials had held roles there including board seats. This week, the United States imposed new sanctions on the bank, including on three of its top officials, two Russians and Hungarian. Orban said Hungary would comply with sanctions against Russia, even though it did not support them. "We have never agreed with sanctions but we don't dispute others' rights, including the United States, to impose sanctions," he said.

☆ Sweden-Hungary ties at low point, Orban aide says, amid Stockholm NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Welcoming Finland's entry, U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes for Sweden to join the alliance "without delay". Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, reiterated ruling party concerns over Sweden's NATO bid, which he said were also shared by Orban's government. "In such a situation, NATO's unity is of paramount importance and it is not helpful if we import bilateral debates into NATO." Hungary's ratification process has been stranded in parliament since July, with Orban airing concerns about the Nordic countries' NATO membership for the first time in February. Among other criticisms, Orban has accused both countries of spreading "outright lies" about the health of democracy in Hungary.

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland will become a member of NATO on Tuesday, completing a historic security policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while neighbour Sweden is kept in the waiting room. "It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday. Sweden underwent a similar transformation in defence thinking and Stockholm and Helsinki applied together last year to join NATO. Moscow said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO. Stoltenberg said he was "absolutely confident" that Sweden will become a NATO member.

"Tomorrow we will welcome Finland as the 31st member of NATO making Finland safer and our alliance stronger," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels, hailing the move as "historic". Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year pushed Finland and its neighbour Sweden to apply for NATO membership, abandoning decades of military non-alignment. [1/2] NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg attends a news conference before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron 1 2"President Putin went to war against Ukraine with the clear aim to get less NATO," Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg pledged to work hard to get Sweden into NATO as soon as possible.

☆ Factbox: Steps in Finnish, Swedish path to NATO membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Hungary's parliament approved a bill this week to allow Finland to join NATO after Erdogan declared Turkey was ready to approve that bid. Turkey's parliament is expected to follow through on Erdogan's commitment with a vote this week, clearing the way for Finland to join NATO within weeks. Here are the key steps in Finland's and Sweden's path towards NATO membership so far:FINLAND AND SWEDEN SUBMIT MEMBERSHIP REQUESTThe applications, letters signed by the countries' foreign ministers, were formally handed in by Finland's and Sweden's NATO ambassadors on May 18, 2022. FINLAND FORGES AHEADAll NATO countries must ratify a would-be member's application before it can join the alliance. But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said getting Sweden's application over the line is a top priority.

☆ Sweden less sure it will join NATO by July - TT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM, March 30 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign minister said on Thursday he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, after fresh signs of objections from Hungary. Sweden applied to join the military alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Hungary and fellow NATO member Turkey held off from approving the bid. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said last week that "it goes without saying" Sweden would become a member by the time of a NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Finland applied to join NATO at the same time as Sweden. Its NATO membership was approved by the Hungarian parliament on Monday and is expected to be ratified by Turkey soon.

☆ Hungary says 'grievances' hold up ratification of Sweden's NATO accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, March 29 (Reuters) - Hungary is holding up Sweden's admission to NATO because of grievances over criticism by Stockholm of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's policies, the Hungarian government spokesman said on Wednesday. Bridging the gap will require effort on both sides, spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said. Sweden and its neighbour Finland asked to join the NATO military alliance last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Turkey's parliament would also start ratifying Finland's accession. But it held off approving Sweden's bid, accusing it of harbouring Kurdish militants.

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