Poland is one of America’s strongest allies, not only in Europe but in the world.

“We’re with Poland all the way, and we will help Poland protect itself,” President Donald J. Trump said in September during the visit of Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

Right now would be a great time for President Nawrocki to endorse the Trump Administration’s goal of ending Iran’s nuclear weapons capability and destroying its ability to foment terrorism.  Several NATO and EU members have fumbled their response to Operation Epic Fury.  President Trump may be closer to achieving these goals than many realize, and public support from the head of state of a large NATO country would be a timely boost to this important goal.

Here is Poland’s moment to step up.  Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki is a good friend of Donald Trump. Many other Polish and European leaders are publicly criticizing Trump and even advocating for a rupture in European and American relations.

Such a declaration would cut through the fog of Europe’s response, and it is also aligned with Europe’s best interests.  The EU has been firm on decrying Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  On June 26, 2025, just after Operation Midnight Hammer, the European Council reiterated its clear determination that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.  When the “E3” nations of Britain, France, and Germany imposed the snapback sanctions on Iran on August 28, the EU endorsed the move.  The EU even managed to put the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps on the terrorism list, just days before Operation Epic Fury began.

Poland has a realistic outlook and has frequently taken the lead in countering threats.  A case in point: Aegis ashore, the radar systems activated specifically “to protect against the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles launched from Iran,” as the U.S. Navy describes it.

Poland is a nation of 38 million hard-working people, with both robust economic growth and a serious military buildup underway.  That nation is buying tens of billions of dollars of the best U.S. jets, tanks, missiles, and radars. Poland has land borders with Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Poland wisely stopped purchasing Russian energy immediately after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Operation Epic Fury focuses on removing the immediate dangers from Iran.  But it is also part of a much larger struggle against the destabilizing geopolitics of Russia and China.  After all, many of those anti-ship missiles being blown up by U.S. F-15Es with GBU-72 bunker busters were of Chinese origin.

China has backed Russia all the way during the illegal invasion of Ukraine.  No country has done more to assist the Ukrainian people than Poland.  Yet Russia’s threat to Europe is undiminished.  The Russian drone factory in Tatarstan makes an estimated 5,000 Shahed-type drones per month.  U.S. Central Command can eliminate Iran’s drone manufacturing, but Russian production will menace Ukraine and Europe.

Poland is the front line in Europe’s security against Russia.  The armored live-fire exercise and technology demonstrations conducted during Operation Winter Falcon 26 at the Drawsko Combat Training Center in Oleszno, Poland, back in January proved the point.  The U.S. and Poland are striving to improve interoperability for credible deterrence against Russia.

NATO, with its 32 allies, remains the bright spot.  Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur of Estonia, arguably the most vulnerable of the Baltics to Russia, has said Estonia is ready to discuss providing assistance for U.S. operations in the Strait of Hormuz.  “When the president is saying something like that, then we need to be open, at least, to the discussion to understand what we can do together to solve that situation,” Pevkur said.

Nawrocki could similarly support Trump’s situation. Poland’s leadership is sorely needed