Relations between Sweden and Hungary are at “a low point,” Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said Thursday, urging Stockholm to take confidence-building measures as it seeks Budapest’s support to join the NATO bloc.

After months of obstruction by Orban’s ruling party, the Hungarian parliament recently approved a bill allowing Finland to join NATO, but not Sweden.

Therefore, Gergely Gulias reiterated Fidesz’s concerns about Sweden’s NATO candidacy, citing the Scandinavian country’s critical attitude towards Viktor Orban for violating the rule of law.

At the same time, Hungary also cites Turkey’s skepticism, which accuses Sweden of harboring Kurdish “terrorists” and refusing to extradite people – in a process where Swedish justice effectively has the final say. “Adding in Ankara’s complaints, it doesn’t leave us much wiggle room, at least until the Swedes start changing their stance and help heal these lingering wounds,” Orban’s adviser said.

Apart from the stalemate with Turkey, the Hungarian delay worries Sweden because of Viktor Orban’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is recalled that a high-ranking parliamentary official of the Fidesz party, Orbán’s party, during a visit to Sweden in early March, asked Swedish politicians to stop “lying” about violations of the law in Hungary for a long time. A case of confrontation between Budapest and the European Union has been launched.

According to Reuters