Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe usually refers to the part of Europe that was Communist after World War II. A large part of Eastern Europe is now democratic and has introduced market economies. Some of these countries are now in the European Union. Other Eastern European countries hope to join the European Union later. Rusia is holding onto control of some Eastern European countries and making democracy difficult or impossible there. Part of Russia is in Eastern Europe but Russia can't join the EU in any case as the EU woulod be swamped.