Mainly for Euros

[Harlow]

Where do you consider Europe ends? Do you count Turkey as European? Cyprus? Armenia? Kazakhstan? Russia?

Anyway, I want to know people's thoughts about it, since my concept it's pretty open (Whole Turkey, Whole Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia; Russia ends between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, while the latter isn't Europe)

[Deploy]

...Wherever the border lies... It's the way it works in the modern world.

[Thu'um]

got into argument in the sixth grade about this with a girl, the only reasoni remeber is because years later to today she has been my best friend, regardless i beilve it ends aat istandbul, and moscow

[Psygonis]

I think Europe shall define a zone of interest using multiple criteria.

Geographic first. Countries that bind together should have the historic links of neighbors. Which also lead to consider history. A mix of both actually! For instance, Russia is a bit further from the "core" of Europe than Turkey, but historic ties are way tighter with russians than turks. As an actor in the european political balance of power over history, Russia stands out among hypothetical candidates. Turkey is at the current border, right, but well... Morroco and Egypt too, and I don't think they feel (or are felt as) european.

Feeling european is a concept that is to be considered as well. British for instance has always had an assumed ambivalence between the Continent and the New One. That sounds weird, but this induce a national alignment and involvement that is itself, european. That wouldn't be the same for Poland, which history is filled by dominations of either germans of russians, and do not identify as strong to the european values. But well... Their history makes them european in a way, so... Well, Poland.

Economic, demographic and religious insights also are part of cultural criterias that country use to tend (or not) toward Europe...

So the case of southern ex-soviet republics (*-stan countries typically) is quite simple, they have neither the culture, history, root of language, economics, religious to tend to Europe (or quite remotely!).

So ultimately, to me, the "Greatest Europe possible" would include the whole Europe continent (UK, Ireland, Iceland, Balkans and mediterranean islands included) prolonged to Russia and eventually Georgia.