Ukraine, Russia, Turkey could help form nucleus of a new, more powerful Europe
The leaders of large European countries must re-launch a vision for a greater Europe, beyond debates on the enlargement of the European Union. Helped by the G20 over which he will soon be presiding, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has the opportunity to launch important geopolitical initiatives, moving on from controversies over the Roma and Turkey. Sarkozy’s meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Deauville, France, on Oct. 19 acts as a reminder of the usefulness of Euro-Russian cooperation going beyond security issues. Around 250 million people live in Turkey and the ex-Soviet states that are members of the Council of Europe. Added to the 500 million European Union citizens, this creates a space of 750 million citizens united by geography, history and democratic aspirations, as well as Asian competition and terrorist threats. Their economies, which are growing strongly, feed Europe’s exports and Europe’s prosperity. A clear perspecti...