BUDAPEST: Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok signed a law approving Sweden’s entry into the NATO military alliance, the presidential office said on Tuesday.
Lawmakers approved Sweden’s entry into NATO on February 26, removing the final hurdle to the historic step by the Nordic country, whose neutrality has endured through two world wars and the Cold War.
Hungary’s vote ended months of delays to complete a security policy overhaul and followed a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson during which the two countries signed an arms deal.
Remaining formalities, such as the filing of access documentation in Washington, are likely to be completed quickly.
The speaker of the parliament signed the ratification and last week handed the law to the president’s office for promulgation.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government faced pressure from NATO allies to fall in line and seal Sweden’s accession to the alliance.
