Here’s what to know about Sweden’s bumpy road toward NATO membership

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s bid to join NATO — held up for almost two years — cleared its last hurdle when Hungary gave its go-ahead Monday to let the Nordic country into the alliance. It brought an end to more than 18 months of delays by the nationalist government in Budapest that have frustrated Hungary’s allies. All existing NATO countries must give their approval before a new member can join the alliance. Hungary was the only hold-out. Sweden’s armed forces, though sharply downsized since the Cold War, are widely seen as a potential boost to NATO’s collective defense in the region.