@SMUDGER:
@Zephos
I guess you are right on several points about europe as a whole. My views arent just based off the mirky divide of the two, but from political positions in the EU itself.
Still, the way we've merged so thoroughly over the past 10+ years I guess its true that the eastern areas of europe can be considered as being solidly bonded with the founding countries.
And this is why I said attitudes are so shaped by things like the EU these days.
The political posturing between the EU and Russia can make it easy to forget how close we are.
As I said earlier, a couple of century ago we had then the great game, with sparring between Britain and Russia, battling between two European empires. But fast forward to the 20th century.
Before the Bolsheviks took over, Russia was part of the triple entente against the kaiser's aggression. After that they pretty much drifted away, becoming allies of necessity after germany broke their non-agression pact with them during WW2. Then after Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech they became viewed as an enemy, but now that it's become a capitalist country again, it's back to vying for influence and money the old fashioned way.
However now a lot of nations of Europe fall under the umbrella of the European Union, which just makes Russia feel somewhat extant of europe.
Still European though.