Weapons not wealth: How the EU’s lure for new members switched focus

(Zoya Sheftalovich – Politico) Countries no longer want to join the EU because it will make them richer — now it’s because it’ll make them safer. Two decades ago, as governments in the former communist East attached themselves to Brussels, the economic lure was clear: The wealthier West could help raise salaries and living standards. But as the postwar order crumbles and politicians question U.S. reliability, better-off nations like Iceland and Norway — which considered EU membership before and decided against it — are attracted to Europe’s clutches for the security it offers. – Weapons not wealth: How the EU’s lure for new members switched focus – POLITICO