That occurred to me. The US was very crafty in encouraging the already existing EU countries to let the new ones in: I couldn't believe the West Europeans fell for it. They are evidently not used to thinking geopolitically.

Still, I think that in many respects, all of "new Europe" taken together is less influential than the UK by itself. On the other hand, each of them gets a vote. So I don't know. We are talking about gradual historical development here. The breakup of the UK would be a watershed, I think.

A bomb, H bomb, Minuteman / The names get more attractive / The decisions are made by NATO / The press call it British opinion -- The Three Johns