The top Republican on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is blocking a $735 million HIMARS arms sale to Hungary.
Senator Jim Risch of Idaho announced Wednesday that the US will not sell them arms, as long as Hungary continues blocking Sweden’s approval to join NATO.
“Given promises that were made to me and others last year that this vote would be done, and 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,” Risch said. in a statement.
“Hungary should take the actions necessary to allow Sweden into the alliance, and soon,” he added.
Hungary says it dropped HIMARS arms sale
Risch’s decision to block the deal was first reported in the Washington Post, which said the sale included 24 HIMARS rocket launcher batteries and more than 100 rockets and pods along with associated parts and support.
The Hungarian Defense Ministry released a statement on MTI, the state news agency, claiming it did not intend to buy HIMARS systems.
