A US senator halts arms sales to Hungary in response to Sweden’s stalling on NATO membership

A US senator halts arms sales to Hungary in response

In addition to Hungary, Turkey has not yet ratified Sweden’s NATO application.

US Republican Senator James E. Risch is about to stop a large arms trade to Hungary, says the newspaper The Washington Post.

According to the newspaper, Risch is blocking the deal worth 735 million dollars, or about 681 million euros, in response to the fact that Hungary has not ratified Sweden’s NATO membership. According to Risch, Hungary must accept membership if it wants the arms trade to take place.

– The fact is that it is now June and it is still not ready, which is why I have decided to stop the US arms trade to Hungary, said Risch in the press release he delivered to the newspaper.

All major US arms deals require the approval of senior members of both the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees before they can be formalized. Risch’s announcement halts this process.

According to the newspaper, the Hungarian government has not commented on the matter.

In addition to Hungary, Turkey has not yet ratified Sweden’s NATO application.

The matter was reported in Finland earlier Helsingin sanomat newspaper.

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