U.S. Senator Blocks HIMARS
Sale to Hungary
- Defensemirror.com
Bureau
- 12:45 PM, June 14,
2023
M142 High
Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) @U.S. Army
U.S. senator James E. Risch, the top Republican on
the Foreign Relations Committee, has pulled the plug on the $735 million sale
of HIMARS systems to Hungary as punishment its refusal to approve NATO
membership for Sweden.
Hungary, a veto-wielding member of both NATO and
the 27-member European Union, has not publicly announced its request to
purchase HIMARS. In January, local newspaper Szabad Europa reported
citing defense ministry officials that Budapest was mulling a purchase.
In a statement to The Washington Post,
Risch (Idaho) said Hungary must allow Sweden into NATO if it wants the arms
package, which includes 24 HIMARS rocket launcher batteries, and more than 100
rockets and pods along with associated parts and support.
“For some time now, I have directly expressed my
concerns to the Hungarian government regarding its refusal to move forward a
vote for Sweden to join NATO,” he
said. “The fact that it is now June and still not done, I decided that
the sale of new U.S. military equipment to Hungary will be on hold.”
All significant arms sales require the chair and
ranking members of the Senate and House foreign affairs committees to give
clearance and approval before the sale is publicly noticed by the State
Department. Risch’s objection prevents the State Department from being able to
move forward in the sales process.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blocked
European defense funding for Ukraine, stymied sanctions packages and deepened
energy ties to Russia.
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