Europe Delivers. Ukraine’s Path to Victory Opens Up

Rattled Putin rattles the nuclear sabre. Expected.

It wasn’t a leak. It was a declaration.

President Zelensky didn’t hint or hedge — he told the world outright: Ukraine expects 3 million artillery shells from Europe in 2025. Even now, I’m slightly surprised President Zelensky chose to let the entire world know that Ukraine is expecting 3 million artillery shells from Europe this year.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Prague alongside Czech President Petr Pavel, Zelensky expressed gratitude for the Czech Republic’s support, stating:

“Last year, you [Czech Republic] provided substantial assistance with artillery shells, and we expect this year’s cooperation to be just as effective.”

That quote tells us what he wants us to hear. But the signal is in the subtext. The Czech initiative — launched in 2024 — was designed to fill the gaps left by delays in broader Western military aid. By April 2025, the initiative had already delivered 400,000 shells, with a target of 1.8 million by year’s end.

Zelensky probably said it out loud because most of those shells, sourced via the Czech Republic, come from a global patchwork of suppliers. The Russians already know where they’re being made, and when…