The head of Hungary’s Prime Minister’s office, Gergely Gulyas, voiced Budapest’s skepticism about Sweden’s path into NATO. The remarks were reported by RIA News.
Gulyas suggested that the center of gravity for any decision should be whether it matters to Sweden. He noted that recent behavior by Swedish officials has eroded trust and respect between the two nations. In his view, those elements are essential for any durable partnership, and once lost, they are hard to rebuild. He stressed that actions from Stockholm have strained the bilateral relationship, making continued unity more fragile than before.
According to Gulyas, a parliamentary vote in Hungary against Sweden’s NATO accession could be strategically advantageous for Hungary, implying that a negative outcome might render the eventual result more uncertain or doubtful for all involved parties.
Antti Häkkänen, who previously led the Finnish Defense Ministry, observed that while Finland is part of the alliance, there are no plans to deploy nuclear weapons on Finnish soil. His remarks add to the broader debate about security arrangements and deterrence in the region.
Olaf Scholz, the former German chancellor, attributed the difficulty of Ukraine joining NATO to ongoing security and political considerations within the alliance, underscoring the complexity of alliance expansion during a time of regional tension and evolving defense priorities.