VOA: Eurasian Union going to have a rough start

The Eurasian Union (EAU), also known as the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), is to officially start next week. Some feel it is going to have a rough start:

December 23, 2014

MOSCOW—

The Eurasian Economic Union is headed for a rough start.

Officials from members of the economic alliance, which was modeled on the European Union and officially comes into effect January 1, met Tuesday in Moscow under the pain of Russia’s collapsing economy and the absence of Ukraine.

Western sanctions over Ukraine and a drop in the price of oil are pushing Russia’s economy into a recession that is also hurting its neighbors in the trade group.

But speaking after a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin voiced optimism that the trade bloc was making headway for its members.

Putin said a joint market was being created to act on the basis of the general rules of the World Trade Organization with more than 170 million consumers and a joint GDP of more than $4.5 trillion. Many customs and administrative barriers, he said, have been eliminated and business opportunities for realization of joint investment projects have expanded significantly.

The leaders of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan will launch the union in January, while Armenia is in the process of joining and Kyrgyzstan plans to join next year. …

Moscow has also wanted greater control through a stronger union. Russian lawmakers, in addition to an economic alliance, wanted political and military ties, but Minsk and Astana insist the union remain only about economics.

They also refused to join Russia in temporarily blocking imports of European and North American food in retaliation for Western sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin responded with restrictions on transit of some products from Belarus it believed to be reimports of European goods.

The Belarusian ruble dropped 30 percent in value after Minsk introduced a 30 percent tax for purchasing foreign currency. On Tuesday, Minsk stopped all over-the-counter foreign currency exchange.

The measure was taken to try to prevent further devaluation in line with Russia’s ruble, which halved in value this year against the dollar. Lukashenko also declared his intention to stick with dollars for trading with Russia in a blow to the Kremlin’s hopes to one day unify the trade bloc under the Russian ruble. http://www.voanews.com/content/eurasian-economic-union-shaky-ground-outset/2571155.html

Russia most certainly wants more than an economic union (e.g. http://www.rferl.org/content/armenians-ratifies-eurasian-economic-union-treaty/26725089.html).

While Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has wanted Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and others to be in it.

The New Testament shows that a military alliance of nations known as the Kings of the East will form:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16).

Note: The literal translation of Revelation 16:12 is “the kings of the sunrise” and thus this would seem to also include China, Japan, Korea, Indochina (including Vietnam), Indonesia, and other lands (since Indonesia is Islamic, it is likely to wish much closer alignment with the Chinese in the end after the King of the North overwhelms the Islamic King of the South per Daniel 11:40-43). India is also likely one of those kings.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?