Sweden’s Prime Minister in Budapest:
On Friday, the meeting that the Hungarian side had been longing for finally took place: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was able to receive his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson in Budapest.
The Hungarian parliament will ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO on Monday, Orbán assured his guest. As is well known, Hungary ended up making the Swedes wait longer than Turkey, for which the Orbán government knew how to justify: If the Swedish Prime Minister might accommodate the Turks with a visit to Ankara, he should also pay a visit to Budapest.
14+4 Gripen for NATO
Under these circumstances, Viktor Orbán was now able to receive Ulf Kristersson at his official residence in the Carmelite monastery in the castle. The most important agreement signed at the meeting concerns the JAS 39 Gripen aircraft. The leasing contract for the 14 combat aircraft that have served the Hungarian Army (MH) since 2001 and will become Hungarian property in 2026 will be modified; Hungary is also purchasing four more Gripen C/Ds. The manufacturer Saab also provides the necessary refreshments and the appropriate support so that Hungary can fulfill its alliance obligations in NATO far beyond its own airspace. According to an agreement between the Hungarian Ministry of Defense and Saab, an AI-based competence center for VR technologies will be established at the Research Institute for Defense Industry Innovations.
Evidence of trust from the Swedes
Viktor Orbán recalled that the first cabinet he led between 1998 and 2002 made the decision to rely on independent airspace defense. In the technology competition, the Swedes won the contract. At the press conference on Friday, he rejected speculation from some media outlets that the “Gripen deal” was compensation for Hungary’s commitment to Sweden’s NATO accession. Orbán admitted that the good trust that once existed had recently been “a little damaged,” which is why it took time to mend the shattered porcelain. At the same time, he recalled important shows of trust on the part of the Swedes, who took in numerous Hungarian refugees in 1956 and who played a decisive role in the eastward expansion of the EU, which ultimately brought Hungary membership in the community in 2004.
Kristersson: Hungary strengthens Europe’s security
“The agreements we concluded today serve the interests of both countries,” emphasized Ulf Kristersson at the joint press conference. He described the talks with Orbán as constructive, which, in addition to security and defense matters, primarily revolved around the upcoming Hungarian Council Presidency and the EU’s future strategies. By expanding the Gripen fleet procured by Sweden, Hungary is also strengthening Europe’s security by allowing the Hungarian aviation squadron to help protect the Baltic airspace, said Kristersson. In addition to submarines and radar technology, the Gripen are the pride of the Swedes and their contribution to strengthening NATO.
The conservative Prime Minister also highlighted the 180 Swedish companies that are helping to secure around 170,000 livelihoods with their investments in Hungary. The two Nobel Prizes in 2023 have shown how strong Hungary is in science and innovation. “Sweden does not agree with Hungary on everything. However, we agree to work more closely together where there is agreement,” said Kristersson, who expressly thanked Orbán for the invitation to Budapest.
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