“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,” Risch said, as quoted by US media.
“The fact that it is now June and still not done, I decided that the sale of new US military equipment to Hungary will be on hold.”
The move blocks a $735 million arms sale by the United States to Hungary, which includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
Hungary has blocked Sweden’s entry into NATO, citing a need for improved relations between Budapest and Stockholm first. Turkiye has likewise blocked Sweden’s membership over concerns about Stockholm’s approach to organizations deemed terrorist by Ankara.
Earlier Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said it is possible to have an agreement in place for Sweden’s accession by the military alliance’s summit in July.
However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said on Wednesday that Turkiye should not be expected to change its stance on the matter unless Sweden meets its expectations.