Originally Posted by Paul Markham

It has been necessary for Europe to fund NATO more and not rely on the US for a very long time. All Trump can do is deliver an ultimatum and demand Europe and the Far East contribute more. Where they buy the arms is a result of Europe not building its own arms industry, apart from France and the UK.

We live in worrying times and the EU making advances to the Ukraine was a bad move. Why the EU is so determined to adopt so many countries with such shit economies is beyond most people. Other than building the power base of the bureaucrats and shifting to voting power of the EU towards nations that rely on EU handouts, what are the benefits? Most certainly not trade as these countries lower the average wage of the majority of Europeans.

Enlargement.
Candidates: Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey
Potential candidates that have applied for membership: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Potential candidates that have not applied for membership: Kosovo* (status disputed).

Look at the wages around Europe.



This has led to this mess where a few rich countries are funding the entire EU with a lot at the bottom getting more out than they put in. Now add poorer States and see how they share the votes. Can Germany afford to keep funding the poorest States, someone has to pick up the slack when the UK leaves. Especially if the EU plays hardball over trade.