Based on their economic strength, European nations have the potential to rival the United States as a military superpower. But for this to become reality, military industries and national forces must merge. Recent breakthrough agreements are laying the foundation for a dramatic military transformation. Even the United Kingdom, though it left the European Union, is looking to Germany for increased military cooperation.

On January 30, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland agreed to ease the movement of troops and military equipment throughout the EU. In June, France joined the agreement.

“There’s no effective defense without effective mobility. Bureaucracy cannot stand in the way of our operational activities,” said Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

The agreement is built on the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation, which aims to enhance military capabilities and cooperation among member states. “The first step for Europe’s common military ambitions is figuring out free movement,” Foreign Policy commented in “The ‘Military Schengen’ Era Is Here.”

Following this agreement, France, Germany and Poland announced joint military exercises in Poland next year.

There have also been landmark agreements in military innovation. The EU established a European Defense Fund for joint defense research and development projects.

On July 11, Poland, France, Germany and Italy signed a letter of intent to develop long-range cruise missiles. A week earlier, on July 3, Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Rheinmetall signed a memorandum of understanding to produce tanks and other land defense systems.

“Technology and industrial synergies between Leonardo and Rheinmetall are a unique opportunity to develop state-of-the-art main battle tanks and infantry vehicles,” said Leonardo ceo Roberto Cingolani.

Other German arms producers are working with France on the Main Ground Combat System that features a next generation battle tank. Spain is working with France and Germany on a Future Combat Air System featuring a new fighter jet.

Europe’s military industry may seem scattered and divided, and in many cases it still is. But these developments show that if the will exists, the synergy is quickly found.

Although Britain left the EU in 2016, its new Labour government is eager to cooperate with European allies. Only weeks after being elected into office, Labour signed a deal with Germany on July 24. “We fight together; we train together; we drink beer together,” said British Defense Minister John Healey.

“We want to strengthen our arms industry. We want to work more closely together in the development, production and procurement of weapons and ammunition,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

Foundation of an Empire

Military cooperation lays the foundation for an empire. European countries have united in similar fashion under rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. The Bible reveals that an even more powerful empire will rise, but only for a short time.

In 1956, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, “Probably Germany will lead and dominate the coming United States of Europe.” But, he noted, “Britain will be no part of it.”

In 1978, when Britain was firmly entrenched in the European Economic Community, he described a “soon-coming resurrected ‘Holy Roman Empire’—a sort of soon-coming ‘United States of Europe’—a union of 10 nations to rise up out of or following the Common Market of today. Britain will not be in that empire soon to come.”

Britain today is no longer part of the European Union. But as it observes Europe’s military unification, political upheaval in the U.S., and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, it wants to ally with this rising power.

This too is prophetic.

In The United States and Britain in Prophecy, Mr. Armstrong explained that the biblical references to Ephraim, a tribe of Israel, are prophecies for Britain. Hosea 5:13 reads: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.”

Decades ago, Mr. Armstrong proved that Assyria refers to Germany. He prophesied Germany’s military rise from the ashes of World War ii, the unification of Europe and the exclusion of Britain from that union.

These events are unfolding before our eyes. The Bible also prophesies what will happen next. Although the future is bleak, there is great hope.

Our free booklet He Was Right summarizes Mr. Armstrong’s Bible-based forecasts, what has been fulfilled and what is yet to come.