Something extraordinary is happening in terms of military status of the nations. While Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth repeatedly boast of American military supremacy, ‘little’ Ukraine, the country Putin expected to overcome within three days, is somehow continuing to hold its own against vastly superior Russian numbers. In fact, it has just won its first infantry victory entirely robotically without losing a single real-life human being. It is not America that has the most combat-hardened and battle-wise armed forces in the world – it is Ukraine!

Ukraine has developed considerable expertise in drone warfare, and is consistently striking oil terminals and fuel depots deep inside Russia – as well as taking a staggering 30-35,000 Russian armed forces out of combat through death or injury per month. (That is over a thousand a day). It is even advising and supplying the Gulf States – and very possibly America too. It has also outgrown the training being supplied by the British Army on Salisbury Plain. In fact, the British Army is acknowledging that it is not only grossly undermanned but is now five to ten years behind the times too.

But Vice-President Vance declared that his proudest achievement was to have stopped supplying Ukraine with weapons! Meanwhile, America is reaping the consequences of her President’s actions. When Trump threatened Greenland, Denmark reportedly took measures to blow up the airfields there to prevent American planes from being able to land! It will take years to recover the trust that has been lost.

In so many ways, the times feel remarkably reminiscent of both 1914 and the 1930s. While Britain remains hesitant to commit herself, other European powers are at least beginning to seek to muster their forces, with France expanding its nuclear capacity, Sweden undertaking a massive, multi-billion dollar military expansion, and Germany committing itself to investing a trillion euros in upgrading its army, but only over the next twelve years. Canada, too, is upping its defence spending, and a number of nations are planning to purchase advanced Swedish Gripen fighters or Canadian Bombardiers rather than American fighter jets.

All this will certainly be hurting the American economy. Trump is asking Congress to increase defence budget by a staggering 40% next year, not least because he has removed himself so firmly from those who were his allies.

On the Napoleonic principle of ‘never disturb your enemy when he is making a mistake,’ China – which has made no secret of its intention to seize Taiwan, and is greatly expanding its armed forces – is watching somewhat gleefully as Trump drives a wedge into NATO, and berates his erstwhile European allies for failing to come to his aid in the Persian Gulf.

And, taking everyone by surprise, Zelensky has proposed a new alliance that would comprise the EU, Britain, Norway, Turkey and his own country. Could this one-time actor and entertainer become the leader of a new Western alliance? What an astonishing reversal of fortunes for a man whom Trump dismissed from the White House as having no cards in his hand! Cometh the hour cometh a man who can’t have had a day off in over four years!

Father, we praise You for Ukraine’s remarkable resilience. Preserve Zelensky and his team and nation in body, mind, energy, intellect, humility and decision-making capability. As you once fought for little Judah, so fight for Ukraine we pray against this existential foe.

Another factor to take into account in this overview of alignments and alliances is the future of Hungary. The new president, Peter Magyar has announced that he intends to see the nation aligned not with liberal Western Europe, but with the Central European states who take a conservative stance as well as comparable positions concerning migration and energy policies.

One proposal being considered is to merge the Visegrád Group—the informal alliance that Hungary has with Poland, Czechia and Slovakia —with Austria, whose Freedom Party in Austria is reputedly ‘soft’ on Russia. it woul dbe premature, however, to imply that this betokens a nascent desire to recreate the once powerful Austro-Habsburg empire?

Given the pro-Russian stance of the new Prime Minister in Bulgaria, however, and the desire of many Romanians for closer ties with Russia, not to mention the notoriously pro-Russian stance of Serbia, we do well to note just how many potential Trojan horses are raising their heads all over Europe. One wonders how much support is left for NATO outside of Germany, France, Scandinavia, Poland, the very nervous Baltic states and of course, notionally, Britain?

Lord, we know from Scripture that You dealt with Your people when they turned their backs on You. We do not deserve Your intervention, but neverthegless we ask You to be Lord of this line-up of the nations. Have mercy on Europe, Lord.

May the Lord be at work not only at a strategic geo-political level but in the heart and minds of people in all these nations.

Many ministries offer superb resources to help us pray. Why not use these PrayerCast as starters for ten, perhaps taking one a day and praying accordingly?

Bulgaria
Serbia
Hungary
Romania
Czechia
Austria
Ukraine

Photo by Masarath Alkhaili on Unsplash