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Havasi didn’t immediately respond to further questions from The Associated Press on Tuesday about the trip.
It wasn’t clear whether Erdogan and Orbán would discuss Sweden’s NATO membership, which has been delayed for more than a year by Hungary and Turkey. All 31 NATO allies must endorse the accession of a new member.
Erdogan’s government has delayed Sweden’s ratification over accusations that Stockholm is too soft on Kurdish militants and other groups Turkey considers to be security threats. But Hungary has expressed no such concrete concerns.
The delays have frustrated other NATO allies, who were swift in accepting Sweden and Finland into the alliance after the neighboring countries dropped their longstanding military neutrality following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
Finland became a NATO member in April after Turkey and Hungary were the last two members of the alliance to ratify the Nordic nation’s accession.
The Turkish leader submitted a protocol to Turkey’s parliament in October to approve Sweden’s admission, but a debate on the matter in the foreign affairs committee was adjourned earlier this month without reaching a decision. It wasn’t known when the parliament will resume the debate.
Orbán’s government has alleged that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy, but hasn’t given specific conditions for approving Sweden’s accession.
Hungary’s governing Fidesz party has refused proposals by opposition parties to hold an immediate vote on the matter, leading some critics to allege that Orbán is following Ankara’s timetable for ratification.
Orbán has said recently that Hungary is in “no rush” to ratify Sweden’s accession, and a senior Fidesz lawmaker said that he saw “little chance” that parliament would vote on the matter this year.
Suzan Fraser contributed to this report from Ankara, Turkey.
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