“The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over. I’ve experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement in May 2017 echoed around the world. It signaled a dramatic break from America. But then no equally dramatic actions followed.

Some said it was all talk—that Europe would not, and even could not, break away from America.

But in August 2018, we see the proof. Germany’s break with America is here. It has moved beyond words—Germany has taken action.

Turkey

Turkey is in a very public spat with the United States. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is refusing to release American pastor Andrew Brunson, accusing him of subversion. The U.S. is demanding his release. Turkey’s economy is in trouble and the U.S. is adding to that trouble to try and force Erdoğan to back down. The U.S. has doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Turkey and has blocked the delivery of F-35 fighter jets to the Turkish Armed Forces.

Rather than help America put pressure on this Middle Eastern dictator, Europe, especially Germany, is helping Turkey resist it. “Angela Merkel is reminding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that he has a potential ally in Berlin, offering Germany’s credibility to avert a spillover of economic turmoil,” wrote Bloomberg last week. The two countries have arranged for their finance ministers to meet. Germany is Turkey’s biggest economic partner, so this support means a lot. Leaders within Germany, including Social Democratic Party leader Andrea Nahles, are suggesting that Germany might even send aid to Turkey.

Olaf Boehnke, a senior adviser at Rasmussen Global, questioned whether Turkey would accept such a bailout: “But if there would be a scenario where [they] would actually need this kind of assistance, I think Germany would give assistance, definitely.”

There are lots of reasons for Germany to support Turkey. A breakdown in Turkey would make Europe’s refugee problem a few hundred times worse. But it’s a still a potent symbol of how the world has changed. While the U.S. is trying to tear down Turkey economically, Germany is trying to prop it up.

Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump has heavily criticized Germany’s pipeline deal with Russia. You can read more about that in Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s September cover story, “Germany and Russia’s Secret War Against America.” As he explained in that article, this massive energy agreement undermines Europe’s nato alliance with America.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Germany this weekend, and he and Merkel made it clear that both countries support the deal regardless of President Trump. Politico noted that “if Trump hoped to knock the Nord Stream 2 project off course, Putin and Merkel were keen to show it is still very much on.”

“Germany is one of our country’s leading economic partners,” said Putin, who went on to give all the stats to back that up.

This is Merkel and Putin’s second meeting in three months. And on July 24, Merkel met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the chief of Russia’s general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov. Merkel and Putin talked on the phone last week to set up the meeting. They said they talked about the Middle East, especially Syria and Ukraine.

The press has noted how unusual it is for the German chancellor to meet with the chief of staff of another military. Gerasimov is actually banned from visiting the European Union because he’s under sanctions. Germany had to issue him a waiver to allow the meeting to take place. Not many details have been released about the meeting. The foreign-policy spokesman for Germany’s Free Democratic Party called the meeting “regrettable and odd” and said that the silence over it was “suspicious.”

President Trump warned Germany that it has to choose between Russia and the United States. It is becoming clear that the Germans have made their choice.

Syria

Syria was a major subject of the discussion between Putin and Merkel. And they aim to continues these talks. German-Foreign-Policy.com noted today that the two leaders spoke about a new group of nations that should discuss the future of Syria: Russia, Germany, France and Turkey. “If the new group of four succeeds in their work, that would be a profound change in the history of the Near and Middle East: For the first time since 1945, the United States would not be leading the way in a long-term, highly consequential reform of the region,” it noted.

This is less a case of Germany working against America and more an example of the Germans forging their own path. Just half a decade ago, they would have been content to allow the Americans to take the lead. Their only decision would be whether to sign off on the American decision. Refusing to support America was not an option, nor was actively opposing it.

The break between America and Germany is an important trend to watch. I wrote about this in the August Trumpet issue. At that time, there was a lot of evidence of bad feelings between the two. But now the break is becoming apparent to the world.

This change in the relationship between Germany and America is part of an important biblical prophecy. I wrote in that article:

As shown in The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong, the Bible reveals that Britain and America are modern-day descendants of ancient Israel. And biblical prophecy warns that Israel will trust in lovers—foreign allies—that will destroy it.

“All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not,” warns God in Jeremiah 30:14.

“They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom,” says God in Ezekiel 16:33. Could this apply better to any nation other than the modern United States? America has given away some of the most powerful weapons ever created. Despite all the gifts, these powers are turning against the U.S.

God says He is the one ultimately behind this trend. “All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy,” God reveals in Jeremiah 30:14. In Ezekiel 16:37, God says, “I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure … I will even gather them round about against thee ….”

This shift is being revealed before your eyes, and you need to keep watching. To understand it better, read Mr. Flurry’s article “Germany and Russia’s Secret War Against America.”