Washington has blocked the sale of HIMARS to Hungary

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican James Risch, blocked the sale of $735 million worth of arms to Hungary by the United States as punishment for the country's refusal to approve Sweden's membership in NATO. About this reported the RBC-Ukraine with reference to The Washington Post.

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As the publication notes, this is a rare step aimed at forcing Budapest to give the green light to the expansion of the alliance ahead of the July summit in Vilnius.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Risch said that Hungary must admit Sweden to NATO if it wants to receive the weapons package, which includes 24 batteries of HIMARS missile launchers, as well as more than 100 missiles and units, along with related spare parts and support.

The decision to suspend new arms sales to Budapest demonstrates the growing hostility toward Hungary from NATO supporters such as Risch, who rarely delays arms sales to countries anywhere in the world.

"For some time now, I have expressed my concern directly to the Hungarian government regarding its refusal to advance a vote for Sweden to join NATO ... I have decided that the sale of new US military equipment to Hungary will be suspended," he said.

All major arms sales require clearance and approval by the chairman and senior members of the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees before the State Department publicly announces the sale. Rish's objection does not allow the State Department to advance the sale process.

Hungary's position on Sweden's accession to NATO

Risch's announcement came after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the White House in an effort to coordinate strategies for this summer's NATO summit in Lithuania, where President Biden and Stoltenberg hope to announce progress on Sweden's bid to join the military alliance.

The decision of Sweden and Finland to apply for NATO membership was seen by many as a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who justified his invasion of Ukraine by the alliance's threat to his country.

U.S. officials say Putin did not expect the West to rally behind Ukraine, but they fear that the decision by Hungary and Turkey to delay ratification of Sweden's bid, which requires the support of all existing alliance members, poses risks.

Relations between the USA and Hungary

U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman said, “The United States will continue to work tirelessly to work more closely with our ally. However, we have serious concerns about the strategic decisions that Hungary is making, and these concerns are widely shared."

Relations between the United States and Hungary have grown increasingly strained in recent months as Budapest delays and complicates the West's response to Russia's war on Ukraine.

As a member of both NATO and the 27-member European Union, Hungary has enormous international influence because of its veto power. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has blocked European defense funding for Ukraine, blocked sanctions packages and deepened energy ties with Russia, leading to accusations that Budapest is acting as Putin's Trojan horse.

Hungary's ongoing blockade of Sweden's bid for NATO membership has angered allies. Speaking in Qatar last month, Orbán said relations between Hungary and Sweden must improve before Stockholm's membership application is approved.

Washington has also expressed alarm over Budapest's willingness to expand and deepen ties with Moscow, taking a tougher line in April when the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on officials at Hungary's International Investment Bank, an unusual move against an organization linked to an ally.

US Ambassador Pressman expressed irritation that the Hungarian government "dismissed the concerns of the United States government" about the bank, which Washington says was used as a base for Russian espionage.

Risch's remarks against the Orbán government stand in stark contrast to the support the far-right prime minister has received from some American conservatives, including those who hosted him at last year's Conservative Political Action Conference. At the event, Orbán received loud applause, calling the liberals a common enemy. "They hate me and slander me and my country just as they hate and slander you for the America you stand for," he said.

Hungary has not publicly announced its request to buy HIMARS, but Hungarian newspaper Szabad Europa reported in January that Budapest was considering a purchase, citing defense ministry officials. Missile systems that have increased Ukraine's ability to deter a Russian offensive are already available or on order for many countries on NATO's eastern flank. Poland took delivery of the first batch of M142 HIMARS last month and intends to purchase about 500 more.

We will remind you that Hungary is constantly trying to block European Union sanctions against Russia and oligarchs close to Putin.

According to the survey of the Sociological group "Rating", in 2022, Hungary has moved into the category of enemy countries for Ukrainians.

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