What is the future of Europe?

One of the challenges of the European Union enlargement process, on the one hand with the Western Balkan countries, on the other hand the countries of birth.British writer and historian Timothy Garton Ash, in an interview with Radio Free Europe, talks about the importance of expanding to countries such as Ukraine and Turkey."It is essential. For the future of the European Union, which has reduced the world's population and economy, we need to further expansion, including Ukraine and Turkey, which are two big countries, "says Ash.European bloc has set a number of conditions to be met for countries aspiring to membership. Among others, the latter must be liberal democracies, have the rule of law, independent media and market economy.Asked how he sees the prospect of other countries in the region, including: Belarus, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia, Ash is not optimistic about their membership in the EU in the near future."When you meet the criteria for membership in the European Union, they will become members of the EU. I bet that for 20 to 25 years they will join, "says Ash.For Russia, he says he has not yet decided what it would be: an empire of an alternative civilization or a normal state in Eurasia. Only when you decide what the European Union can work in long-term relationships, says Ash."Russia has lost an empire and has not yet found its role. Russia needs to decide what it will be. And, as we know in the UK, it takes some time, "said Ash.Another challenge that afflicts the European Union debt crisis, which has put at risk the survival of the common currency - the euro. Cyprus has now become the fifth country of the eurozone, after Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, which has sought international finance to survive the debt crisis.Asked whether the euro will survive, Ash gives this answer:"A senior French politician said: euro crisis is over, the crisis in the euro continues to be strong. I think that is right. Eurozone will survive, but the question is what price, especially for companies and Southern European policies, which are going through really rough unimaginable for us, five or ten years ago, "says British writer and historian Timothy Garton Ash.