Hungary and Sweden agree on defense deal ahead of final vote on Sweden's NATO accession

The prime ministers of Hungary and Sweden concluded a defense industry agreement on Friday that will expand Budapest’s fleet of Swedish-built fighter jets, paving the way for Hungary’s likely ratification of Sweden’s long-delayed NATO bid.

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 give its backing for Sweden to join NATO.

Kristersson made the trip to Hungary after repeated invitations to do so by the Hungarian government, something Orbán had hinted would be a precondition for his government endorsing Sweden’s NATO bid.

Friday’s defense agreement appeared to be a decisive point of reconciliation between the two governments, and Orbán has indicated that his party is ready to approve Sweden’s bid on Monday.