Russia providing impetus for Europe to arm; Ukraine moving towards NATO?

NATO in Green, Russia in Orange (Crimea should also be orange)

Certain leaders believe that the actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin have breathed new life back into NATO:

December 29, 2014

LONDON—Russia’s more aggressive military posture in Europe during the past year has pushed NATO to take new steps to strengthen its defenses, providing it, analysts say, with a much-needed new mission.The change in NATO-Russia relations grew out of protests in Ukraine that led to the ouster of the country’s pro-Russian president. Russia sent operatives and troops into Ukraine’s Crimea region and … annexed it. Then Russia backed separatists in two eastern Ukraine regions, causing a months-long war that is still going on.

Meanwhile, Russian warplanes and ships conducted a series of close encounters with NATO members and other Western countries, with Moscow taking stealthy and aggressive actions not seen since the Cold War.

Nick Witney, a former British and European Union defense official, now with the European Council on Foreign Relations, says Russia’s posturing has breathed new life into an old alliance.“I think NATO leaders should raise a glass to Vladimir Putin as the year draws to an end,” he said, adding the alliance needed a challenge. “A healthy NATO needs a Russian threat, and Mr. Putin has been foolish enough to supply one, in spades.”Witney says the Russian president’s actions have “galvanized” NATO, inspiring a series of steps. They include more exercises like this one in western Ukraine, the stationing of more troops in Poland and the Baltic states, a reaffirmation that it will defend all its members and the creation of a new rapid reaction force.

At London’s Royal United Services Institute, Malcolm Chalmers says President Putin wanted to roll back gains made by NATO since 1990, but his actions have had the opposite effect.

“Russia is looking for weakness. They’re looking for gaps in NATO’s armor,” he said. “They’re looking for divisions in NATO. And, certainly, NATO member states believe that through solidarity with each other they’re more likely to deter any Russian moves.”

Significantly, Chalmers says Putin has alienated his former best friend in Western Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“Chancellor Merkel, throughout this crisis, has gone further than any other Western leader to try and find a diplomatic way through,” he said. “Merkel was looking for some sort of compromise. And Putin certainly hasn’t, so far at least, been prepared to settle.”…

Experts, Witney among them, say the Russian economy will slide into a deep recession next year.

“These are big strategic reverses for Putin. So, if he is meant to be a ‘chess grandmaster,’ the game has gone horribly wrong for him at the moment,” he said.

That doesn’t mean Putin will back down; indeed some experts say the problems could make him more hostile. http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-moves-provide-new-mission-for-nato/2568617.html

So, more in Europe feel that Russia’s actions mean that Europe should be stronger militarily and better support NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). While most in the USA will see this as a positive, the reality is that the stronger Europe becomes militarily, the weaker, relatively speaking, the USA becomes.

NATO Has a Lot of European Leadership

What many do not realize is that the USA does not control NATO like it did until a few years ago. Initially, and basically for decades, NATO was built up under the direction of two US supreme commanders. But the situation has changed. The USA does not have legal control over much of NATO or what it can do anymore.

The current Secretary General of NATO is Jens Stoltenberg, the former Prime Minister of Norway, who took office on 1 October 2014. The Secretary General is responsible for coordinating the workings of the alliance, serves as the head of the North Atlantic Council, and leads NATO’s staff. The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee is General Kurt Bartels. General Bartels was the Danish Chief of Defence and was appointed on 16 November 2009.

I also should add the first non-American, French General Stéphane Abrial, became the “Commander of the Allied Command Transformation” of NATO in Europe in September, 2009 (French General Takes Over Key NATO Command In U.S. RTT News, September 10, 2009. http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView. aspx?Id=1062869; http://www.nato.int/cps/
en/natolive/topics_50114.htm). Though he no longer holds that post, another French General, Jean-Paul Paloméros, now does. So, this is another part of the military no longer under USA control.

And of course, not all of Europe’s military is part of NATO. Europe has its own ‘independent’ forces, which some wish to see expand as well as seeing the expansion of a European military industrial complex (see Germans wants an independent European arms industry). And then there are German ambitions (Isaiah 10:5-11; see also German Foreign Minister calls for support and dominance similar to that proposed for Adolf Hitler and Merkel lashes out against Putin for interfering with with EU’s expansion plans).

Bizarrely, there is now a German General who commands the actual USA Army in Europe (see German general now commands the US Army in Europe).

Having Europeans command NATO as well as USA forces puts the USA in a vulnerable position any time the Europeans decide that they want to dominate and attack the USA–this is something that will be done (Isaiah 10:5-11; Daniel 11:39).

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:39)

The ‘he’ above is the King of the North, a European power. It is the USA that currently has the ‘strongest fortresses.’ This prophecy will affect the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies.

Russia and Ukraine

While some have improperly concluded that Russia is the prophesied “king of the North” of Daniel 11, that is not the case. Russia, thus, is NOT biblically the power that is prophesied to takeover the USA–Europe is (Daniel 11:39; cf. Revelation 13:1-4).

The recent Russian moves have, of course, not gone unnoticed in Ukraine (which essentially lost the territory of Crimea to Russia). Ukraine is considering joining NATO and a law leading that direction was signed today:

December 29, 2014

KYIV—

Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law revoking Ukraine’s non-aligned status as part of efforts to move the country closer to NATO, the western military alliance. Russia views NATO expansion as a threat and President Vladimir Putin last week signed a military doctrine reiterating those concerns.

Poroshenko signed the bill, overwhelmingly approved last week by Ukraine’s parliament, at an end-of-year press briefing in Kyiv.

The change in status moves Ukraine closer to a formal request to join NATO, which Russia views as a threat.

Poroshenko told journalists the Ukrainian public would choose whether or not to apply for the alliance in five or six years. …

Russian officials warned of dire consequences if Ukraine is invited to join NATO.

President Putin last week signed a military doctrine designating NATO’s expansion and anti-ballistic missile system plans in Europe as top threats to Russia’s security.

Russia’s concerns about NATO and missile defense are nothing new. But analysts note the doctrine’s emphasis on worries of foreign influence on the Russian public, information warfare, and interference in domestic politics.

Russian military analyst Alexander Golts says Putin is concerned that demonstrators in his country are paid by western governments. http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-poroshenko-non-aligned-status/2578011.html

Russia’s Vladimir Putin does not like the direction that Ukraine is going, and may take more military steps BEFORE Ukraine could become part of NATO.

Ukraine, itself, may well temporarily align with Europe. In the future, even Russia will to a degree–though there may be tensions and fighting.

Eventually (nearly three and one-half years after the start of the Great Tribulation), the time will come that the Russians and the other “kings of the Medes” (Jeremiah 51:11-29) will turn against Europe.

Europe is Arming

However, until then, Europe will take steps to increase its influence and military strength. Technology may be its key (see European Technology and the Beast of Revelation).

And as ‘NATO’ and Europe strengthen, this will put the USA in a position that it will later regret (cf. Daniel 11:39). Some of the actions by Russia are pushing the Europeans in that direction.

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 a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here is a link to a video Is the USA Pushing Germany to Start WWIII?
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 and a video sermonette available: 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? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
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 is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.