The governments of Hungary and Sweden will sign a defense cooperation agreement. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson are meeting today to prepare the ratification of Stockholm's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by the Budapest parliament, scheduled for Monday 26 February.

"The Hungarian Parliament will put the final seal on Monday. We will close all pending issues and sign an agreement with the defense industry, a serious contract considering the size of Hungary, and we will also set some decisions or goals on military cooperation", he explained the Hungarian prime minister, interviewed by the State radio broadcaster.

Sweden had asked to join the Atlantic Alliance in 2022, after the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. Hungary is the only NATO member that has not yet ratified Stockholm's request. The two prime ministers Orban and Kristersson will hold a press conference today in view of the approval of the Hungarian Parliament. In exchange, Sweden will develop cooperation on Saab Gripen fighter planes, leased from Budapest.