Just 15 years ago, Russia was a sick bear hibernating in a dark cave. Today the nation has emerged fit and strong, and is prowling the prairie of global politics boldly and dominantly. Since the election of President Vladimir Putin in 2000, Moscow has grown dangerously powerful and belligerent, and many nations and leaders are concerned.

None more so than those in Europe.

Think tank Stratfor discussed Europe’s cause for nervousness several years ago: “And that is why the osce [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] is getting nervous—not so much because of Putin’s election practices as the magnitude of his victory and the way he likely will put that victory to use. Putin is, first and last, a Russian nationalist, utterly pragmatic (or ruthless) in the tools he will use to strengthen the Russian state. He has greater power now than anyone in Russia since the collapse of communism. He can reshape the regime. Consequently, the osce and Europe are nervous about where Putin is taking Russia. They have every reason to be: Putin is slowly and systematically changing Russia’s direction. When Russia changes direction, the rest of Europe should indeed be nervous” (Dec. 9, 2003).

Perhaps the only inaccuracy in Stratfor’s 2003 assessment was that Putin was “slowly” changing Russia’s direction. Since that article was written, Putin has yanked Russia from traveling its obscure gravel path and placed the nation on the center lane of the simmering highway of geopolitics. In just a few years, Putin has secured absolute government control over Russia’s key industries including oil, gas and the press; opposed Western interests at nearly every turn; strengthened relations with the East; patronized into submission former Soviet states; and, through all this, not only anchored Moscow at the center of global energy politics, but also placed himself and his country at the vanguard of the growing army of nations and groups that despise the West.

There’s an important element to this story many are missing today. The more bellicose and dangerous Russia grows, the more we must watch Europe. Europe’s reaction to Russian ambition is the most important element—and be assured: Europe is responding.

Tension between Europe and Russia has been mounting in recent months and weeks over multiple issues. Earlier this month, the German EU presidency and the European Commission rebuked Russia strongly for holding fast to its 2005 ban on importing meat from Poland, accusing Moscow of exploiting trade as a political weapon. Another major incident involved a row over a Soviet-era statue in the nation of Estonia.

In the capital city of Tallinn, Estonian leaders dismantled and removed a pro-Soviet statue. Within days, President Putin attacked Estonians for “desecrat[ing] memorials to war heroes” and caused all Russian road and rail traffic to Estonia to be blocked. Indignant at Putin’s interference in European affairs, Germany and Europe marched to the defense of their EU counterpart. Speaking before the European Parliament in Brussels, Germany’s Europe minister, Günter Gloser, warned Russia that its attack on Estonia was “an attack on the sovereignty of an EU member state“ and pledged Berlin’s “full support” for Tallinn. The whole episode revealed how quickly the friction between Russia and Europe can heat up.

Russia is also proving a pain in the side of Europe in the Balkan province of Kosovo. Speaking from Azerbaijan on Monday, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, made clear how firmly opposed his nation is to a Western-backed plan to support Kosovo’s independence from Serbia under international supervision.

As minor as Russia’s recent belligerence with Poland, Estonia or Kosovo might seem to some, each of these situations is an outburst of the tension mounting between Russia and the entire continent of Europe. In administering a verbal lashing to the Estonians, President Putin also verbally assaulted the other 26 members of the European Union, including such heavy-weights as France and Germany. Why else would Germany accuse Putin of attacking the sovereignty of an EU member and pledge its “full support” for Estonia?

These seemingly minor skirmishes must be considered against the backdrop of already heated EU-Russian relations. The issue of energy supplies remains the most contentious issue between Russia and Europe. During the past two winters, Russia lorded its dominance over European energy supplies by momentarily halting the flow of natural gas and oil into different parts of Europe. Europe’s leaders fear few things more than an audacious Kremlin squeezing the Continent’s energy flow; thus, securing energy independence from Russia has now become one of their most urgent goals. Yet even this venture is being opposed by Russia.

Fed up with Moscow’s belligerent and patently anti-Western gestures, many of Europe’s leaders allowed their frustration to surface last week at a EU-Russian summit just outside the Russian city of Samara. European newspapers captured how their disgruntlement illustrates the debilitating state of EU-Russian relations.

Prior to the meeting, the European Voice warned that EU-Russian relations have reached the brink of a deep-freeze, stating that EU and Russian diplomats themselves “have acknowledged that there is little chance of beginning talks on boosting political and economic ties at the summit ….” The International Herald Tribune explained how the latest tensions (with Poland, Estonia and Kosovo) come amid “increasing alarm in Europe that Moscow is using its vast energy resources for political ends, flouting human rights and stamping out democracy ahead of parliamentary elections in December and a presidential vote next March.”

Relations between the two are so bad, stated the iht, that Peter Mandelson, the EU’s trade commissioner, “warned recently that the level of misunderstanding between the two was the worst since the end of the Cold War and was in danger of going ‘badly wrong’” (emphasis ours throughout). The Moscow Times, in an article aptly titled “Europe Scolds a Bristling Putin,” reported on the fruitlessness of the one-day conference in Samara.

“No major deals were reached,” the article stated. “While the two sides spoke of a willingness to cooperate, they disagreed over almost everything ….” During the long and acrimonious post-summit press conference, Vladimir Putin became visibly annoyed and combative as he faced questions from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Even European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso emerged from the summit swinging, warning Putin that “the EU is based on principles of solidarity” and that the Russian president’s attack on Poland was an attack on the entire European Union.

The tone of the summit was unmistakeable. Europe’s leaders are fed up with Russia’s bold antics and are showing themselves willing to confront Putin and his comrades.

Of all of Europe’s leaders, the Times of London identified Germany’s Angela Merkel as one of the toughest critics of Russia. According to the Times, prior to last week’s summit in Samara Merkel took her toughest line yet in a dinner with Putin, warning him that “Russia could not pick on individual European states and expect a business-as-usual approach from the European Union.”

The quiet but distinct message emanating from Germany is clear: Russian arrogance and boldness will no longer be met with mere diplomacy.

Russia’s newfound global power and influence is triggering European leaders to demand a strong leader capable of striking back. Few things unite a nation or group of nations more than a mutual external threat. Logic informs us that Russia’s spiral toward dictatorship will trigger a fear among Europeans that will accelerate the unification of the Continent.

Bible prophecy reveals that this is precisely what we can expect to occur. Russia will be a catalyst to the formation and empowerment of a united European power!

Historians know that Russian-European relations are an enigma. Stalin and Hitler were smiling and shaking hands in 1939; by 1941 their soldiers were killing each other. The lesson: Pleasant relations and peace agreements between Russia and Europe mean nothing. In fact, the friendlier they seem to grow, the likelier that war is imminent.

It is important we remember this lesson. In the coming weeks and months, relations between Russia and Europe may seem to smooth over. Don’t be fooled: Russia is Europe’s greatest, most time-tested enemy—Europe is Russia’s most persistent threat.

The more geopolitical power and influence Russia gains, the more Europe’s leaders and citizens alike will feel the need to unify to counter the threat mounting to their east. More specifically, Russian ambition will help Europeans realize the desperate need for a strong, robust leader to lead them against such external forces like Vladimir Putin.

Thanks to its position at the heart of energy politics, as well as the support it receives from nations embracing it as a counterweight to Western dominance, Russia is destined to grow in power and influence in coming months and years. As this trend unfolds, it is vital that we watch Europe’s reaction.