Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 7:10 p.m
3258 readings
Viktor Orbán blocks a series of plans, while other EU member states agree to Photo Hepta
A Republican congressman on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Wednesday, June 14, that he would block arms sales. Hungary 735 million dollars, as Budapest refused to approve Sweden’s accession to NATO, Reuters reported.
“Given that I and others were promised last year that this referendum would happen, and now that we’re in June and it still hasn’t happened, I’ve decided that the sale of new U.S. military equipment to Hungary will be suspended,” he announced. Senator Jim Risch, the commission’s Republican chairman, said in a statement.
“Hungary must take the necessary steps to allow Sweden to enter the alliance,” he pointed out.
Under U.S. law, major U.S. arms export deals require the approval of members of Congress, leaders of congressional parties, Democrats, and Republicans from the foreign policy committees in both the Senate and House of Representatives. They often raise questions or raise concerns about human rights or diplomatic issues that could prevent or delay honoring U.S. military agreements with other countries.
The Republican senator’s decision to block U.S. arms sales to Hungary was first reported by the Washington Post, which reported that the deal included 24 HIMARS multiple-launch missiles and related munitions. But the Hungarian Defense Ministry denied there was any deal to buy such systems.
“During the regime of the previous government, the government commissioner in charge of acquisitions requested information about the HIMARS systems by letter with a deadline to respond by March 2022. There was no response from the United States, so the ministry considered the matter closed,” the Hungarian government said.
Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO member states that have not yet ratified Sweden’s alliance. Ankara cited the Stockholm government’s non-cooperation with terrorist organizations, particularly those in the Kurdish region, in deporting them to Turkey. Victor Orban.
“Evil gamer. Amateur music trailblazer. Alcohol geek. Problem solver. Coffee advocate. Troublemaker. Infuriatingly humble zombieaholic.”