What do you think about European Commission giving out recommendation for expanding EU with 4 Eastern European countries?

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Ukraine 🇺🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 Moldova 🇲🇩 Georgia 🇬🇪

The first three are already starting negotiations to become members, Georgia is just being granted the candidate status for now.

[DryGermanGuy]

Ukraine: I am against it. Not because of Russia or anything like that, but the country is not in Europe anymore. We should not expand that far to the East.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: I agree. It makes sense to bring all former Yugoslavian republics into the fold and deny Russia their destructive influence.

Moldova: Undecided. Probably not. Certainly not with Russian troops occupying there.

Georgia: I am against it. Georgia is in Asia and hasn't even any EU neighbors!

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Europe is a state of mind, and now Germany is more of Asia with so many Middle Eastern Refugees ;)

[DryGermanGuy]

The state of mind thing might sound nice, but real world political implementation is a different beast.
I have not noticed any Middle-Eastern refugees here, we took in 1,1 million Ukrainian refugees, but they look mostly just like us.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Let’s agree to disagree. I believe Georgia has always been a European nation with a beautiful mix of some other cultures.

[AviatorTom]

Ukraine is a political move, and a risky one... it moves the EU closer to the war with Russia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina makes sense. Almost all of its neighbors (former Yugoslav states) are already EU members with the Euro as their currency. Bosnia and Herzegovina has its own currency, the mark.

Moldova is questionable.

Georgia becoming a candidate is similar to Turkey, which is a long-time candidate for EU membership, but denied membership until at least 2030.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I think Georgia has far better chances than Turkey,

Georgia is a Christian nation that’s basically surrounded by Muslim nations in the south, We don’t exactly fit in with them, we also had 2 wars with Russia in the past 30 years, that’s our neighbor. I feel like we are Europe, that’s just on the wrong side of the Black Sea. And we can be a very strategically good location economically, geographically and all.

[Sargentcaptain]

> Almost all of its neighbors (former Yugoslav states) are already EU members

? Out of their 3 neighbors only 1 is an EU member. Many Serbs don't even wanna be in the EU and the next opportunity for Montenegro to become a member is years away still.

[Lj0011]

So sick of turks saying Turkey is a European country. It's not
.

[AviatorTom]

@Lj0011 Turkey has the same right to call itself European as Russia does. The majority of Turks live on the west side of the Bosporus, which is Europe. Most Russians live west of the Urals, which is Europe.

[Lj0011]

The Turkish language does not belong to the Indo-European family, but rather to the Turkic family group. Turkish government system and structural component do not reflect that of the vast majority of European government organization, and their morals and ethics are regarded as quite different. Also, over 95% of the country’s land area belongs in Asia, within the Middle East. These are among just a few of the reasons why Turkey is not and should not be considered a European country. Although it is definitely more Westernized than all other Middle Eastern countries, it’s a big fish in a small pond using that kind of comparison.

Just because Turkey has a very minuscule but densely populated portion of its territory just inside the crevice of the European continent does not qualify them for European status. Turkey is geographically, culturally, linguistically, and systematically distinct from European countries. Therefore, it is better classified as Asian rather than European.

[DryGermanGuy]

The majority of Turks does obviously not live west of the Bosporus, where did you get that idea?

[purplepoppy]

Ukraine is going to need a lot of rebuilding after the war. Membership will make it easier for tradesmen to go and work their from other member states. I can see them benefiting from EU grants but I doubt it'll sit well with rising far right populist parties in Europe.

[KostasKouvalis]

Exactly! They're gonna take a shit ton of money, since I guess Sleepy Joe is running out, yet will contribute NOTHING.

And yeah, the same thing will happened that happened with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Because there's no way in hell Ukraine will comply with the EU's woke immigration and pro-LGBT laws

[Agagagagaga]

Yes. How dare those “Far right populists” get upset at paying their hard earned money to rebuild a foreign nation. 🤦‍♂️

[Siri137]

Not Serbia? Oh, that's right, they can't join because they're too close to Russia, and NATO doesn't like them (they destroyed Yugoslavia back in the 90's). Not that it matters anyway, because the EU is dying fast, and won't be around for much longer.

[madhatters4]

i think russia forced the hand and may regret their aggression in ukraine beyond the consequences of the conflict itself. the EU probably sees that a major part of it's economic security is supporting countries that may be targets of Russia, and really putin's, desire to re-establish the iron curtain

[Alexandrubaschet08]

I agree whit all exept Bosnia, i want Serbia to be the one forst accepted and then any other ex-Yugoslavian country.

Rep. Should be the first one and NATO should let Romania and give its suport for uniting whit Rep. Moldova and eradicate the shithole of Transnistria from the F FACE OF EART!!! As long Ukraine is still holding stron Odesa.

Georgia should be as well accepted as soon sposible, considering the separatists regions in that country i thing EU should agree whit Georgia to starv the Russian trups there to death, no eauropean money to ever go there, but in the rest of the nation yes.

Ukraine, i don't know how is posible but i'm ok as long EU can enshure security for them and the rest of the members (who are not in NATO)

[DryGermanGuy]

Mate, you do realize that Slovenia and Croatia have been EU members for many years?

[Alexandrubaschet08]

@DryGermanGuy I know, been even in Slovenia and Croatia when Croatia whasn't in EU.
But what can i do.
We are in EU and NATO and i hope Serbia will join our family as soon posible as well, hopfuly before Bosnia, but is not a MUST.

[Andres77]

I like bears…

But there’s a sickness within russia that needs to be dealt with. If the EU and/or NATO can tame russia then do whatever is necessary.
I’m still learning more about Eastern Europe culture and enjoying it, and then there are these mafia thugs (putin and his bitches) with nukes that think they can do anything they want without consequence. It’s aggravating for me but it’s horrific for those that have to live through it. I’m all for taming that bear or at least reminding him that enough wolves can take down a bear if necessary.

[Soteris]

I mean, its about time I suppose. They have basically been in the future plans of the EU since the EU was really started but for one reason or another was always delayed. Its hardly surprising outside of possibly Ukraine.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I am really happy about that, as we were kind of outcasts from the rest of Europe.

[NamerOfStars]

After just rejecting Montenegro? I can understand Bosnia and Herzegovina (if not in that like), but... bluntly, it seems like a purely political move to save Georgia from another Russian invasion. Given that Russia's bogged down invading Ukraine, that makes sense; it's actually a pretty good time to do so. But Ukraine?

Look, I know that it's kind of like we've been going through the conditions that ran us into World War 2, and that I've objected to that, but choosing instead to lead us into a second World War one isn't really an improvement.

Maybe we should just let Russia into NATO and find a DIFFERENT stupid reason to kill each other.

[KostasKouvalis]

UKRAINE? MOLDOVA? Yet they denied Montenegro's request to join, how interesting. Georgia and Bosnia I can make an argument for, but Ukraine and Moldova? They're two of the poorest countries in Europe. They will just take and contribute little to nothing like Poland did, then boast about how they modernized their countries. And those countries are too conservative. There will be the same problems that they have with Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic and Slovakia. No way in hell will all those countries you listed comply with the EU's woke immigration and LGBT laws. They're stupid for even trying to join. The EU is the worst political entity ever invented.

[Kxkxkxkx]

Some Poles really appreciate the EU help in rebuilding Poland, although some politicians believe that EU didn't help that much. But as far as I know, the country was in much worse condition before joining EU

[KostasKouvalis]

@Kxkxkxkx Of course they do. Poles LOVE to take while giving nothing in return.

[Kxkxkxkx]

What event do you refer to?

[Guido]

I like the idea but it's nit without risk. I do think in the long run it will help stabilize the world. The world is full of bully dictators and they need to be stopped.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I agree!

Russia did the same in Georgia in 2008, they managed to stop Georgia from its track of becoming a successful country, I hope they’ll fail with Ukraine!

[Guido]

I think the majority of the world feels the same way for Ukraine.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

In 1994 when Georgia and Russia had a war, Ukrainian soldiers fought next to Georgians,

When Georgians asked why did they fight so hard for the land that wasn’t theirs, they answered:

“If we don’t stop them here in Georgia, we’ll have to stop them next to Dnepr”

I have always felt very close to Ukrainians as they’ve suffered the same things as Georgians, with the exception that in 2008, the world didn’t really support us the same way they did with Ukraine.

Back then Germany and France were siding Russia.

[Naruse]

Honestly I get it, they want to deter Russia from retaking their territories. With that said they will be at the whims of the European leadership which are notoriously corporate and tend to favour whatever Germany demands as it's an economic powerhouse. This means yes there will be investment but it's all to be paid back with interest at the moment the people of that country have the temerity to vote for someone who doesn't correlate with the interests of the Troika.

[Grond21]

I think the move with Ukraine is terrible. A precondition for russia not attacking was the ukraine would never be entered in, yet here they are breaking that contract. There is an argument to be made that Putin would never have invaded if the European Union did not keep expanding to the East.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Putin invaded Georgia in 2008 because Georgia was about to become a NATO member.

Now everytime Russia’s neighbor wants to make its own independent political decision, the whole world must listen to Russia instead of the country that’s making a decision?

[Grond21]

That's a fair point.

Perhaps the answer is that NATO should never have promised him in the first place that those countries should not join.

There is also an argument to be made that he would always have invaded those countries, no matter what, in order to plug the defensible gaps around Russia's border.

[JustMeQ2]

Those independent countries are making decisions at the expense of their neighbors. They are not above their neighbors.

Georgia and Ukraine are buffer States, like the rest of the less powerful States. If it comes to war with their neighbor they will pay the biggest price. Life and war on their territory. For Russia is a defence problem and they will try everything not to come to war because it's very close to their home territory. For NATO members it will be like a move on TV. They will not care as long as it doesn't affect their living standard.

It's better to be a buffer state to a state that doesn't want a war on their border than a buffer state to an alliance that has no problem provoking a war on the territory of their buffer members (colonies).

If Georgia and Ukraine want a better living standard it's better for them to align with the Eastern Block and work with them to achieve this goal.

You don’t need the EU to utilize their way of working. You just need their money and you can get money from the eastern block (probably not as much). And when you choose the eastern block you give them insurance for their safety, to the EU you are just another tool/war resource.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

@JustMeQ2 For Georgians, being part of EU is not as much about financial benefits as it is the admittance of the fact that we belong to Europe, we don’t belong to our South Eastern Neighbors, that we have fought with for centuries, because of the difference in our religions.

We don’t need Russia, that we have fought for ages because it always wanted us to become part of it, while we have 4000 years of history and they have like 1000-1500.

For Georgians, it’s a matter of finally finding a place where they fit in.

As for me, I earn much more than people in EU do on average, so stop thinking we only thrive for its financial benefits.

[JustMeQ2]

@LaFemmeFatale_1 First, religion in the EU is irrelevant to the majority of people, including politicians. And your Christian Orthodox Church has more in common with the other Orthodox churches than with the Catholic and Protestant churches.

Second, the EU was founded so they could integrate the countries so much that they wouldn't start another war. (take a crash course in European wars and you'll see that they weren't that different from you). As an example, Montenegro was bombed by NATO when Yugoslavia was falling apart, and they joined NATO years later (even though 85% of its population voted against joining in the referendum). Making decisions now based on past suffering is an emotional response, not logical. Can't go forward with this method, you'll only end up where you started.

If the Europeans can unite so can the Slavic world.

I can't say with 100% that Georgians are Slavs, (I don’t know that much of Georgian history) and that they belong here and there. But I can say that historical, economic, and political conflicts can (and probably will) be created in the process of joining and afterward. (Look what's happening in the EU members from the former soviet block now).

As for your economic status, I’m glad you make more than the average European. But is that for the majority of your population? Is the poorest Gorgian richer than the poorest European?

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

@JustMeQ2 Georgians are not slavs and you saying that, makes the whole discussion pointless, as it points out, your absolute ignorance in the topic you are discussing about!

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Georgians are Caucasians, only real Caucasians who this term stands for.

Others just borrowed this term from us.

[JustMeQ2]

@LaFemmeFatale_1 Excuse my ignorance then. like I said I don't know much about your history. But my other points still stand.

Viewing every other option as a bad one is not a good way of going forward.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

@JustMeQ2 Georgia had a very long and amazing history, it is one of the ancient countries and we don’t assimilate nor with Slavs, nor with Muslims.

We always used to be the gate of Europe. But the Fall of Constantinopole left us on another end of the world, cutting ties we have been making for centuries.

We still managed to survive on our own, even though Muslims from the South and Russia from the North tried to occupy us all the time.

[JustMeQ2]

@LaFemmeFatale_1 can you recommend a docuseries or a documentary about your country's history?
It's a good way to start a learning chapter.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

@JustMeQ2 I appreciate your interest in it.

I’ll search for the good documentaries in English and will share with you later on.

[Still-alive]

I approve. Russia needs to be more contained it seems.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

I agree.

[Still-alive]

With any luck russia will lose their invasion of Ukraine and be forced to reorganize their government into something less kgb like. I have no kind things to say about Putin either lol.

[alice55]

Against cause they're poor countries they're not gonna bring anything good to us.

[BoopBoopBeep]

I think it's great. We don't want another USSR forming under our noses.

[nudeNhorny]

I'm a pro-European so I always support expanding the union's membership to new nations.

I do think the Europeans need to be more unified though.

[IslaTheWitch]

To be honest, it doesn't matter much. What happens now in the EU is more like a circus than politics. We will see how this will unfold.

[Avicenna]

Very bad idea. All of them will require a lot of subsidies if they do actually join and all are too corrupt, especially Ukraine.

[Sargentcaptain]

The 4th Reich is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

[abc3643]

I'd like to see Armenia join too and eventually the Balkan states.

[Dargil]

I think they want war with Russia. And their military cannot fight themselves out of a paper bag without Sugar Daddy USA.

[RedInnocent68]

I guess I get Bosnia and Moldova, but Georgia and Ukraine?

[Anonymous]

Georgia better watch out after Ukraine. They need to join nato first.

[TonyMetal___86]

Like what are the benefits, what does it changes in the country's situation and living?

[BlissfullyCurSed]

Georgia is in West Asia. wtf?

[loveslongnails]

Makes sense to me.

[soe11]

Good news 👍