Poland's rise over the next decades will be made possible by the decline of Germany's dynamism, its dwindling population and desire to avoid disagreements with Russia, according to Friedman.

He predicts Russia will attempt to reassert influence in the Baltic States. As difficulties with Russia increase, the US "will back Poland, providing it with massive economic and technical support. Poland will become the leading power in a coalition of states facing the Russians."

"Poland hasn’t been a great power since the sixteenth century," Friedman writes. "But it once was—and, I think, will be again."

Along with Poland, he also predicts the rise of Turkey and Japan as influential world powers. Friedman made the predictions in his new book that attempts to forecast geopolitics in the 21st century.