These Europeans couldn’t be further apart (5)

I believe the answer is:

poles

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'these europeans' is the definition.
(Pole is an example)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for poles that I've seen before include "Nationality of citizens of Warsaw" , "North and south" , "Extremities of the earth's axis" , "People from Warsaw?" , "Ends of the earth" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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