Hungarian parliament

In a historic move underscoring shifting geopolitical dynamics, the Hungarian Parliament has ratified Sweden's accession to NATO, marking the final approval needed among the 31 member states for the Scandinavian nation's entry into the alliance.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson arrived in Budapest on Feb. 23 for talks with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban ahead of a key parliamentary vote on Stockholm's bid to join NATO.

Hungary remains the last obstacle to the Nordic country's NATO membership after Türkiye's ratification last month, but its parliament is set to vote on Sweden's bid on Feb. 26.

The Hungarian Parliament could not vote today in an emergency session on the ratification of the agreement on Sweden's membership in NATO due to the lack of a quorum, announced the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Sandor Lezak.

The Hungarian parliament adopted on Wednesday a legal amendment aimed at strengthening the independence of the judicial system, at the suggestion of the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, DPA reported.

Pope Francis urged Hungarians to open their doors to others on Sunday, as he wrapped up a weekend visit with a plea for Europe to welcome migrants and the poor and for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.

Orbn added that "more and more decisions are being made about the use of newer and stronger weapons", and that "the West is sending Ukraine more and more modern equipment", reports MTI.

The Turkish parliament has ratified Finland's membership in NATO, AFP reported. The country became the latest NATO country to ratify Finland's membership of the US-led defense alliance following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lawmakers unanimously backed the Nordic country's accession two weeks after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly blessed the bid.

Namely, the Russian embassy in Sweden announced on its website that the Scandinavian country will become a legitimate target of Russian retaliatory measures if it joins NATO.

The Hungarian parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's right-wing Fidesz party, ratified Finland's NATO membership Monday after months of diplomatically charged delay.

A large majority of lawmakers -- 182 votes for versus six against -- approved the accession of the Nordic country into the military alliance.

The Finnish president on March 23 formally sealed the Nordic country's historic bid to join NATO by signing into law the required national legal amendments needed for membership in the Western military alliance.