Poland (MNN) — Newly-inaugurated United States President Donald Trump is calling for allied NATO countries to increase their defense spending to at least 5% of their national GDPs.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda came out in support of the standard, affirming the need to “keep Russia aggression at bay.” Poland already spends more than any other NATO nation on its national defense – over 4% of its GDP.
Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) says, “America has financially borne the burden of much of the defense effort, especially with the war in Ukraine. I’m not arguing one way or the other; just stating a reality and then recognizing with Donald Trump being our president, there’s going to be a requirement for these countries to respond with a greater commitment to their own security.”
The stakes are high for Poland, in particular, which shares a border with Russia and Ukraine.
“Poland recognizes that Russia is basically on its doorstep,” says Mock. “They don’t know what’s going to happen in Ukraine, but if all of a sudden something tragic happens in Ukraine, and Ukraine tends to fall, then you’ve got a situation where they’re definitely on Poland’s doorstep. If peace comes, and we pray that peace comes, Poland still has to look out for its own security over time and take responsibility for that.”
Women’s ministry in Poland. (Photo courtesy of SGA)
Mock emphasizes, “Going into 2025, there’s a tremendous amount of unknown on how this is all going to play out [in the region].”
SGA supports churches in Poland that minister to citizens and Ukrainian refugees. Amidst uncertain times, they offer the certain hope of Jesus. Several churches even hosted Christmas celebrations supported by SGA’s ministry, Immanuel’s Child.
“We’re seeing stories pour in of kids and parents coming to faith during the Christmas outreach. The Church is now focused on not only following up with these families, but seeing the ones who come to faith [be] discipled,” says Mock.
“So in the middle of the chaos, what we’re called to do as servants of Christ, as a Church, is to continue to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples.”
Learn more about SGA’s ministry in Poland.
Header photo: Poland’s President Andrzej Duda on a visit to Kyiv, August 2024. (Photo by Kmu.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=151869489)
