The EU has had a massive positive effect on former soviet countries. I live in a former Soviet Union country and I can confirm that. Since we've joined EU in 2

The EU has had a massive positive effect on former soviet countries. I live in a former Soviet Union country and I can confirm that. Since we've joined EU in 2004 things have improved really massively in pretty much every aspect. Sure, we are still way behind the old western countries, but comparing to other former Soviet Union states that did not join EU, the contrast is staggering.