For several years now the Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a Middle East peace conference to be held on Russian soil. I first reported on this development back in April 2005. These calls were repeated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on several occasions. But up until now, calls for a Russian Middle East peace conference went unheeded. Since 2005 Russia has been seeking ways in which to increase its dominance in the Middle East and to re-establish its super-power status on the world stage. This first began with increased co-operation with China in August 2005, as the former communist Russia joined their communist neighbour for their first ever joint military exercises. Later that year Russia increased its stranglehold on the oil and gas markets, announcing price-hikes and cutting supplies to former Soviet states which refused to fit the bill. This past year Russia resumed its Cold War patrols, is seeking to establish its own seaport in Syria and has spoken of the Mediterranean Sea as being of strategic importance to Russian defence. Most recently Russia sent a naval fleet to patrol the Mediterranean Sea in an effort to re-establish its presence in the region.

Quote: "The Russian Black Sea Fleet contingent, which has already set out for its new mission from Sevastopol, will rely on the naval facilities at Syria’s Tartous port. Its presence for several months will be a complication for the Israel navy’s operations opposite the Lebanese and Syrian coasts, especially if the Russians could be joined at Tartous by Iranian extended Kilo class submarines armed with the Russian-made "Sizzler" Klub-S (3M54) missile, as some unofficial Israeli sources reported. The Russian Kuznetsov carrier group will conduct three tactical exercises, including real and simulated launch of missiles, said Serdyukov, adding 11 port visits are expected to be made. Sending such powerful Russian warships onto the Mediterranean, for any amount of time, is no small matter. With the Mediterranean having been a "NATO lake" for the past 15 years, since the demise of the Soviet Union, the simple presence of a naval Russian force will require reviewed strategy and tactics of many of western and Israeli navies.

On the back of its increasing military presence in the region, Russia is also seeking to spread its political influence in the Arab world. After an Israeli strike on a Syrian nuclear installation, Russian engineers were called in to see how Syria's Russian-built radar system was infiltrated. Iran was also concerned, for they had bought the same systems to defend their Russian-built nuclear installation in Bushehr. And now the international community is letting Russia play peace-maker between Israel and its enemies...

Quote: "The Russian diplomats assured their Israeli counterparts that the proposed Moscow event, like Annapolis, would be billed as a "meeting" rather than a "conference." They also said that its purpose would not be to finalize agreements, but merely to move the Middle East peace process forward. According to the information reaching Jerusalem, the Russians would like to divide the event into two sessions. The first would be devoted to assessing the progress of bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, while the second would deal with the issue of a comprehensive regional peace, with particular emphasis on resumption of negotiations between Israel and Syria, and the launching of Israeli-Lebanese talks.

The Scriptures state that during the last days, a war is prophesied to break out between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. This war will be initiated by Arab states, and will come during a time of relative peace for Israel. During this war, the Bible says that an evil thought shall come into the mind of the Russian leader. He will then mount an invasion of the land of Israel with the pretence of defending the Arab nations, but his real aim will be to take away much spoil for himself. As we can see, this attitude fits right in with Russia's present desire for greater wealth and power. The Russian attack will be opposed by Saudi Arabia, but no nation will come to Israel's aid. I don't know whether this war will happen during the tribulation period or just before. What is clear is that events are leading up to the war of Ezekiel 38-39. If Christ came today, would you be ready? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Ezekiel 38:18-23
And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, [that] my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy [and] in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that [are] with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Source Defence Update, Mideast Update, Haaretz