Pundits have become increasingly confident in recent weeks that as Russia struggles in its war against Ukraine and grows more isolated from the West, the nation is becoming entirely dependent on its last remaining powerful partner, China. And this means that in the Russia-China partnership, it is China that now holds the cards.

• “Xi Jinping-Vladimir Putin Talks Highlight Russia’s Role as ‘Junior Partner’ to China,” the Financial Times headlined March 20.

• “[Y]ou have to start wondering whether Putin has been hoodwinked into ceding his family heirlooms to the wily trickster next door,” OnlySky wrote on March 22.

• “Russia Becomes ‘China’s Little Brother,’” the New York Sun headlined on March 24.

It is true that Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping with open arms and an aura of desperation during Xi’s March 20 to 23 visit. Putin agreed to keep selling oil and gas at painful discounts and to conduct much of Russia’s trade both with China and third countries in the Chinese yuan. These are both significant concessions that shift the Russian-Chinese power dynamic toward Beijing. “By the end of 2023, the yuan will be our main trade currency,” a source close to the Kremlin told the Financial Times.

The Chinese economy is also 10 times larger than Russia’s, and its population likewise is 10 times greater. These are massive disparities, and if current trends persist with the Russian economic downturn and emigration, they will further widen.

So it is not difficult to see why analysts say Russia is becoming a vassal state or resource colony to the energy-thirsty Chinese. But Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has been clear that when the Russia-China partnership evolves into a full military alliance, it will be Russia that heads it and China will be the junior partner. This, he says, is based on Bible prophecy and is certain.

Bible prophecy describes an end-time, multinational Asian military bloc called in Revelation 16:12 “the kings of the east.” Ezekiel 38:2 describes the leadership of this Asian bloc as “the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (New King James Version). Meshech and Tubal are ancient terms corresponding to two modern Russian cities, and Rosh is a variation of an ancient name for Russia. So this “prince” who leads the Asian alliance is clearly a Russian ruler.

Verse 2 says “the land of Magog,” which includes modern China, will also be a core part of the Asian alliance. But the wording makes clear that it will not be a Chinese leader but a Russian one who is the main king, or prince, over this “kings of the east” bloc.

“We need to watch Vladimir Putin closely,” Mr. Flurry writes in his booklet The Prophesied ‘Prince of Russia.’ He continues:

He is the “prince of Rosh” whom God inspired Ezekiel to write about 2,500 years ago! When you study these scriptures alongside current events revealing modern Moscow’s imperialist direction, you see that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the prince of Rosh.

The details of how this shift will happen are not currently clear, but we should not expect Russia to become a Chinese lapdog or a resource colony. Somehow Putin will become the clear head of this tandem.

In the meantime, both Putin and Xi are causing great suffering in their nations and beyond. And they will continue to push the world closer to the era Scripture terms “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). This will be an epoch when dictators rule ruthlessly and assert their will worldwide. It will be a dark and violent future for Russia, China and all nations. But there is also a radiant hope connected to current trends.

Mr. Flurry concludes his booklet by emphasizing that Putin’s rulership means the end of man’s disastrous efforts to rule himself is near:

What we are seeing in Russia ultimately leads to the transition from man ruling man to God ruling man! And it is almost here! It is just a few short years away. … A great transition is about to occur. We have to realize that this is all good news ….

To understand the importance of the up-and-coming kings of the east axis, the looming reduction of Chinese power relative to Russia’s, and the hope that is at the core of these developments, order your free copy of The Prophesied ‘Prince of Russia.’