EU indicates it can afford to add the Western Balkans, but Ukraine perhaps not
Flags of EU Nations (Pixabay)
The German news source Deutsche Welle published the following:
EU expansion: Can the bloc afford new members in the east?
23 April 2024
For more than a decade, the EU seemed like a closed club with several countries lining up to get in. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed this.
In December, the EU opened accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova and granted candidate status to Georgia.
Political push hits budget constraints
“For obvious reasons, the EU is now seeing enlargement as a security instrument. And the budget is part of the discussions, but it might not necessarily be the deciding factor,” Thu Nguyen, deputy director of the Berlin-based independent think tank, Jacques Delors Centre, told DW.
The recent protests in Poland are a reminder though that economics are invariably part of the EU’s political drive. And Brussels’ new expansion enthusiasm is accompanied by fears that enlargement will put some of the EU’s members and citizens at an economic disadvantage.
The EU spends the biggest chunks of its budget on regional development and agriculture. Those member states that are less well-off get more money from the EU than they pay in. The eight countries currently in line for joining are all poorer than the current member states. Turkey is the ninth EU candidate country, but its accession process has been suspended. …
Admitting the Western Balkan countries would bring economic opportunities to millions of people, at a manageable cost to the EU. Yet, most Western Balkan countries have been EU candidates for over a decade. North Macedonia even for two. …
Ukraine — the elephant in the room
More recently, a new candidate for the EU accession has emerged on the eastern horizon: Ukraine. Hard-pressed by the Russian invasion, the country received candidate status in June 2022.
But the most populous — and poorest — of all candidate countries would be “a different ball game,” says Nathalie Tocci, “because of its size, because of its agriculture sector, because of its average wealth, and, above all, because it’s a country at war with €500 billion in reconstruction and still counting.”
If Ukraine were to join the EU, it would become the bloc’s biggest agricultural producer and weigh most heavily on the bloc’s finances. …
According to an internal investigation by the European Council, admitting all candidates would cost the EU €256 billion ($272 billion), with Ukraine alone estimated to receive €186 billion over seven years, not including reconstruction expenses. https://www.dw.com/en/eu-expansion-can-the-bloc-afford-new-members-in-the-east/a-68893299
Yes, there are concerns in Europe about the cost of EU expansion. I also expect the EU to go through at least one major financial crisis before the start of the Great Tribulation. Various expansion costs would look to be a factor in that.
Most of the nations in the Western Balkan region have waited for a long time to be in the EU, and many expected that process would be completed–or at least much further along than it is by now.
Probably because of the delays, Serbia has made deals with Russia and the Russian-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (e.g. Iran praises Eurasian Economic Union, Serbia enters its deal with the EAEU, and China’s connection: Is the time of the Gentiles approaching?).
The EU wants the Balkans, not only because they are part of Europe but because they do not want Serbia to remain an ally of Russia. The Serbs fought against the Axis powers (which included Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy) in WWII. The Germans would prefer to have some control over Serbia and do not want to fight the Serbs in the future. Serbia, itself, took another step towards the EU this month when it elected to purchase military planes from France instead of Russia (https://www.ft.com/content/fa26d185-6b54-481a-b5b8-1ff41a0ab724).
There are divisions among the EU states about expansion and many other issues. Of course, division in Europe was prophesied as the following in the Book of Daniel shows:
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)
However, Daniel also prophesied that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the east:
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Daniel 8:9-12).
And while the above had a past fulfillment, this prophecy seems to be dual (compare with Daniel 11:27-39). The European Union has mainly expanded south and east of the Benelux nations (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)–which is where it initially formed.
The Balkans are south and east of the Benelux nations.
Currently, approximately 450 million people are now under a new, single (though not completely united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels.
The European Union currently has 27 member states. If you were to add the six Western Balkan areas that want to be in, plus Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, that brings the total to 36. Plus there is Turkey, but that is another matter.
Now there are groups (such as PCG and LCG) that tend to insist that the final European Beast power will only have ten or eleven nations. They look to be wrong, and thus look to be caught off guard unexpectedly (cf. Luke 21:34) if the final Beast power has more (See also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).
In the old Radio Church of God, the late evangelist Dr. Hoeh taught that this little horn of Daniel 8 was the power that would become the final King of the North:
Turn in your Bible to verse 9: “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” …
The King of the North
The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING of one of the four divisions of Alexander’s Empire. He is, in fact, the final “King of the North” described in Daniel 11. (Hoeh H. The 2300 Days. Plain Truth, August 1965)
The European Union has demonstrated a history and willingness to enlarge–and it is interested in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. The USA keeps encouraging all of this, but this will not end well for the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).
Items related to the ‘little horn’, Russia, the Balkan nations, the EU, and the Beast were discussed in the following sermon:
1:00:37The Bible tells of a time when the Anglo-American order will be temporarily replaced by a new world order that will be dominated by a European power called the Beast of the Sea. This will be primarily a Caucasian Gentile power, with support of some with Israelitish heritage. In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over nearly all the nations in Europe and ties them in with progenitors listed in the Bible.
Here is a link to the sermon: Gentile European Beast.
Of course even now, not all in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia want to be part of the European Union. Some prefer to be in Russia’s Eurasian Union (though this is likely diminishing because of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine).
Regarding the Balkans, notice the following from our free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:
The Slavic Peoples …
The Slavic nations are in lands south and east of the Benelux nations—so consistent with Daniel 8:9, many in Slavic Europe will support the end time European power. …
Though Slavic, historically, Serbia has differed from most others in eastern Europe.
Unlike many eastern Europeans who supported Germany in WWI and WWII, the Serbs (which mainly live in Serbia, and Montenegro) were opposed and supported the Allied forces. The Serbs also worked with Russia in WWII against Hitler’s forces. Serbia is considered significantly stronger militarily than many countries with similar populations.[i]
The Bible tells of a son of Shem named Elam (Genesis 10:22). History shows that there were also numerous tribes of Elamites.[ii]
Yet researchers have concluded:
Any attempt to trace the Elamites ethnologically is beset with difficulties.[iii]
That being said, some Elamites are believed to have been the progenitors of the Serbs,[iv] but some part of the Medes (from Madai) may also have been involved.
According to Herodotus, there were numerous tribes of the Medes.[v] And originally, this was a reference to a geographic region, and not ethnicity[vi] which included areas that the Elamites were believed to have lived in.
Pliny the Younger in his work Plinii Caecilii Secundi Historia naturalis from the first century AD (69-75) mentioned people named Serboi, who lived near the Cimmerians, presumably on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
[In the 2nd century (around 175 AD), the Egyptian Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy mentioned in his Geography people named Serboi or Sirboi, who presumably lived behind the Caucasus, in the hinterland of the Caspian Sea.][vii]
It is likely that the Serbs were an Elamite and/or Median tribe. Croatians may have come from a different tribe. Some consider that the Serbs and Croatians had the same (or very similar ancestry) but became divided because of culture, geography, and religion: Croatians being more Roman Catholic and Serbs more Russian Orthodox.
Additionally, Croatia was part of the old ‘Holy Roman Empire,’ but Serbia was not.
Historically, the Croatians have been more supportive of Germany than Russia. It is likely that they will remain that way. Serbia has tended to back Russia more than Croatia.
Even though Serbia looks to be a nation that will support Europe for a time, it appears likely that Serbia will be part of the force that will back Russia against end time Babylon, (Ezekiel 32:24-28; Jeremiah 51:11, 27-32). …
Italy and Greece are currently in the European Union and North Macedonia has applied to be.
All of them are expected to support the final Beast power. They will have the temporal financial benefits as well as the plagues (Revelation chapters 15 & 16) and destruction (e.g. Revelation chapter 18; Jeremiah 50:41-46) that will affect the coming European Beast superstate.
Albania and Kosovo
Albanians seem to have derived from Lud (Genesis 10:22) or Canaan (Genesis 10:6).
Albania has applied to be part of the European Union. Despite an Islamic population majority, Albania looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate. Albania’s currency, called the Lek, is pegged at a fixed rate to the euro.
Though some Kosovars descended from Elam (Genesis 10:22) as many Serbs live there, Kosovo also has an Islamic population majority of people of Albanian heritage.
Before the formal introduction of the euro, which Kosovo now uses, many Kosovars used Germany’s Deutsche Mark as their currency.
Kosovo is recognized by the European Union as a potential candidate for accession and looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate.
[i] 2022 Serbia Military Strength. GlobalFirePower.com, update of May 02, 2022
[ii] Basello G, et al., eds. The Elamite World. Taylor & Francis, 2018). The tribes of Elam were the Anzan, Uxii or Uxians, Armardians, Mardians, Khapirt, Aipir, Messadatae, Cissi, Cossaei or Coss, and Khuzi or Huzha tribe (White, Origin of Nations, p. 283
[iii] Hinz W. The Lost World of the Elamites. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1972, p. 21
[iv] White C. In Search of … The Origin of Nations, p. 287
[v] Herodotos I-3. Edited by A.H. Sayce. The Ancient Empires of the East. MacMillan & Co., 1883, p. 62
[vi] Ibid, p. 62
[vii] From Petrović AM. Arheografija naroda jugoistočne Evrope, Beograd, 2006, page 19., as Cited in Origin hypotheses of the Serbs. BibleWikipedia, accessed 4/08/22
So based on Daniel 8, Balkan interest in the EU and the EU interest in the Balkans, it is likely that the Western Balkans will, at least for a time, support the coming Beast power in Europe.
But yes, the EU is facing additional financial costs to do this.
That being said, those that become disillusioned/disappointed by the EU may ultimately back out of it–and that may include Balkan countries like Serbia.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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