US Concerned About Russia-Iran Partnership

March 28, 2023 — Voice of America News reports: “The United States expressed concern Monday about the strengthening of ties between Russia and Iran.

‘It should be a concern for countries not just neighboring Russia and Iran, but the world broadly,’ deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at a briefing.

‘We have seen the havoc caused by Iranian-made drones that Russia has unleashed on Kyiv, targeting energy and civilian infrastructure, so of course this relationship is one that we are paying close attention to,’ Patel added.

Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed drones to carry out widespread aerial attacks on Ukraine during its full-scale invasion…”  (Russia in Bible prophecy is the main instigator of death and suffering during Armageddon – Revelation 16:16.  Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, which Dr. Van Impe proclaimed for sixty years, aided by Oriental and Islamic nations, bring total chaos and atomic devastation upon the world.  Worse yes, it’s just ahead of us.  Every nation was included in World War III is forming exactly as he taught for this global blood bath six decades ago.  The only good news is that the Rapture precedes Armageddon – Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth – Revelation 3:10.  Then our deliverance as believers – Revelation 4:1 and our joy because of missing Armageddon.)

Poland slams ‘dangerous’ Russia-China ‘axis’

March 22, 2023 — SpaceWar.com reports: “Poland’s prime minister on Wednesday branded the China-Russian alliance ‘dangerous’ after Chinese leader Xi Jinping wrapped up a three-day visit to Moscow.

‘The Chinese president’s visit to Moscow makes us anxious, this China-Moscow axis is dangerous,’ Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters after hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Warsaw.

Xi left Russia on Wednesday following a summit with President Vladimir Putin that hailed a ‘new era’ in their relations, putting on a display of unity against the West.

Putin and Xi discussed the war in Ukraine, but their talks ended with no apparent signal of a breakthrough on how to end the fighting.

Putin praised Beijing’s 12-point position paper on the conflict, which includes a call for dialogue and respect for all countries’ territorial sovereignty.

But Poland, one of Ukraine’s closest allies, raised alarm about the increased cooperation between Beijing and Moscow…”  (Ezekiel 38:5 predicts that Russia, the Orient, and Persia [which changed its name to Iran in 1932] will see millions destroyed through atomic warfare in the Latter Years and Latter Days – Ezekiel 38:8, 16. Prepare to meet thy God Israel – Amos 4:12. This battle is described in Revelation 9:14 – 18: Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.  See the next report.)

China, Iran and Russia hold drills in Gulf of Oman

March 16, 2023 — Israel National News reports: “Naval forces from China, Iran and Russia — countries at odds with the United States — are staging joint drills in the Gulf of Oman this week, China’s Defense Ministry announced, according to The Associated Press.

Other countries are also taking part in the ‘Security Bond-2023’ exercises, the ministry said without giving details. Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates all have coastline along the waterbody lying at the mouth of the strategic Persian Gulf.

‘This exercise will help deepen practical cooperation between the participating countries’ navies … and inject positive energy into regional peace and stability,’ the ministry said in a statement which was made public on Tuesday.

The exercises scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday come amid heightened tensions between the US and China over a range of issues, including China’s refusal to criticize Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and continuing support for the Russian economy.

The three countries held similar drills last year and in 2019, underscoring China’s growing military and political links with nations that have been largely shunned by the US and its partners…”

UK in major defence boost to respond to Russia, China

March 13, 2023 — SpaceWar.com reports: “UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday announced a 5 billion pounds investment in defence as part of a review aimed at responding to emerging geopolitical threats from Russia and China.

The investment comes after Sunak’s defence minister Ben Wallace warned in January that the British armed forces were ‘hollowed out and underfunded’.

The investment, part of the 2023 Integrated Review Refresh (IR23), will help to replenish ammunition stocks, modernise the UK’s nuclear enterprise and fund the next phase of the AUKUS submarine programme, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office said.

‘As the world becomes more volatile and competition between states becomes more intense, the UK must be ready to stand our ground,’ Sunak said.

‘By investing in our armed forces for the long-term, we will be ready for the challenges of today and of the future.’

The IR23 also aims to increase defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP in the longer term…”  (Vladimir Putin has been in power as either the Prime Minister or President of Russia since 1999.  On August 16, 1999, in front of Duma, or parliament, he declared: ‘Russia has been a great power for centuries, and remains so.’  ‘It has always had and still has legitimate zones of interest abroad in both the former Soviet lands and elsewhere.’  In 2019, Asia Times Online reported of the lavish welcome Putin received in Serbia.  They stated: “Serbia – despite its new pro-Western leadership and EU ambitions – has deep historical ties with the Slavic ‘big brother’ that has supported Belgrade over the centuries, most recently during the 1999 NATO bombing campaign.  It is the only European nation that is truly close to Russia, with common Orthodox and Slavic roots, a daily Moscow-Belgrade train and a bilateral visa-free entry agreement. Putin pledged to invest US$1.4 billion in gas pipeline infrastructure for Serbia, which already buys all its natural gas from Russia.  But ties extend far beyond cultural and ethnic similarities, to Moscow’s wider geopolitical strategies.  The Belgrade love fest is just another brick in the giant international structure Russian officials label Russkiy Mir, or Russian World.  Moscow media cover ‘Russkiy Mir’ and conferences of ‘Russian compatriots’ on a daily basis. Though the USSR has dissolved, step by step, Putin’s Kremlin is bringing the vast lands of its former empire back into the fold.”  See the next two reports.)

Xi, Putin hail ties ahead of ‘journey of peace’ to Moscow

March 20, 2023 — SpaceWar.com reports: “Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin applauded on Monday the solidity of their alliance as the Chinese leader headed to Moscow for a summit with the internationally isolated Russian president.

Xi described his trip as a ‘journey of friendship, cooperation and peace’, though China has been criticised by Western nations for what they consider tacit backing and diplomatic cover for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

‘I look forward to working with President Putin to jointly adopt a new vision’ for relations, Xi wrote in a signed article in the newspaper Russian Gazette that was also carried by Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

China has sought to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine war, and its foreign ministry said last week that Beijing would ‘play a constructive role in promoting peace talks’ between Kyiv and Moscow.

Beijing in February issued a 12-point position paper calling for dialogue and respect for all countries’ territorial sovereignty…”

Putin, Xi hold ‘thorough’ talks on Chinese plan for Ukraine-Russia peace

March 21, 2023 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had held a ‘thorough’ exchange of views during their first day of talks and had discussed Beijing’s peace plan for Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to give further details, telling reporters to wait for a joint statement later on Tuesday after the two leaders meet for a second day of talks.

‘There was a very thorough exchange of views, a serious conversation in the informal part,’ he said, referring to Monday’s meeting.

He said the two leaders had talked about China’s proposal – a 12-point paper calling for de-escalation and eventual ceasefire in Ukraine – but again declined to elaborate.

Putin said on Monday he had carefully studied China’s ideas, viewed them with respect and would discuss them with Xi…”

China military spending, Russia’s war show readiness to confront West

March 6, 2023 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “Reports that China is increasing military spending by an alarming 7% this year while warning about threats and the visit by Russia’s defense minister to Russian troops shows how a new world order is taking shape.

This is not the ‘world order’ that was proposed in the 1990s by then-US president George H.W. Bush. It’s not necessarily a new order that will replace the US-led world order that dominated in the 1990s. However, it is a world order that will be now stretching its wings, like an animal that has been slumbering.

What this means is that, if in the last decades, there was discussion about US-China or US-Russia competition, today it is clear what is taking place. The chips are down, in a sense. That means China no longer pretends that it is going to just be an economic power, quietly moving into the vacuum left by what it sees as a declining Western power in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Now China will be more assertive…”  (China will become a basic partner with Russia for the rapidly approaching battle of Armageddon – Revelation 16:16. Russia will lead invasion number one – Ezekiel 38 & 39. China will lead invasion number two – Revelation 16:12; Revelation 9:14 – 16. Then all nations will come against Jerusalem for the final invasion at which point Jesus will return to stop the bloodshed and set up his eternal kingdom upon earth – [He gathers] all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken… Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south – Zechariah 14:2 – 4. Then Psalm 2:6 occurs as God the Father says: …I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion [Jerusalem].)