Can't read because of the paywall, so I'm curious how it handwaves away the EU's own membership criteria which requires applicants to be "European countries".
Cyprus is geographically located in Asia but has been successfully been admitted to the EU after satisfying other (non-geographical) conditions for EU membership.
Armenia and Georgia have also been determined by the EU to be eligible for membership despite being entirely located in Asia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia%E2%80%93European_Union...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Georgia_to_the_Eu...