Ukraine Has 100 Missiles
Current production rate: 10 units per month
The global realignment of power is evolving at a breathtaking pace as nations worldwide respond to the United States’ decision to shift decisively to the right.
Putin has demanded the lifting of sanctions as a condition to halt hostilities. French President Macron urged European leaders to decide between living like herbivores or acting like omnivores. In the UK, conflict negotiator Jonathan Powell has been appointed as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump requested that Putin avoid further escalation, while Russian state media reportedly featured Melania Trump’s images across the country. Germany is considering moving its 2025 election forward slightly, and President Zelensky revealed a state secret:
Ukraine produced 100 missiles in 2024.
“We surpassed the milestone of the first 100 units of missile armament this year. I will not go into details here, but I would like to thank everyone who is involved in this production of ours, who organizes the relevant processes. And we are going to expand this area.
Currently, more than 800 companies are working on the production of weapons for our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine. Now, for the first time in more than 30 years of independence, we have not just individual investment steps of our partners in Ukraine, but systemic investment models. In particular, this is the model of Denmark, the Danish model, which invests and attracts investments in production.
We have also agreed with France on a slightly different model — it also includes technology and the construction of relevant production facilities. We also have preliminary agreements with our other partners to localize arms production specifically in Ukraine. And this is something that will consistently make us stronger, ” said President Zelensky.
Everything is in a state of flux right now. Neither Putin, nor Zelensky, nor Europe, nor the incoming Trump administration has any clear sense of what the next two to three months will bring. For Europe and Ukraine, the priority will be to prevent Donald Trump from abandoning Ukraine. In this regard, Putin may have inadvertently provided a service by attempting to pressure Trump into submission.
That was ugly, but it was also a warning shot to Donald Trump: Russia won’t back down if he tries to push a treaty that doesn’t favor the Kremlin. There’s no doubt the Russian state media, serving as the Kremlin’s mouthpiece, acted with approval from the top. So far, Trump’s team of “bullies” has chosen to stay silent — now, the bullies are being bullied. I’m waiting to see how Mr. Musk responds. If cornered, they’ll likely try to spin it, but Russia’s decision to target Melania suggests the Kremlin is uncertain about how the Trump administration will handle this crisis. Their anxiety is evident.
What I don’t understand is why Ukraine hasn’t responded loudly and collectively against the Russian state media. They should work to ensure this action by Russian media is highlighted across Europe and ultimately the United States. They need to step up — and quickly.
The information would certainly have reached Melania and, of course, Donald Trump. The Trump administration still includes influential Republicans who view the Kremlin as a serious threat to U.S. interests, such as Senator John Cornyn, Representative Michael McCaul, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Representative Mike Turner of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. These key figures still hold some sway over how things proceed.
Let’s not forget that Elon Musk is eager for the tax cut bill to pass before the 2026 midterms. They’ll need every single vote in the House to make it happen.
When Trump became president in 2016, the GOP held a substantial 47-seat majority, 241 to 194. Even with that margin, they passed the 2017 tax cut by a narrow vote of 227–205. This time, the GOP is unlikely to have such a cushion — probably only a 5-seat majority.
At the time of writing, Republicans have won 214 seats, while Democrats hold 203.
It looks like a four-seat majority at the moment — maybe a little less, maybe a bit more, but certainly nowhere near the margin they had in 2017. MAGA is adept at pushing misinformation into American households, but that efficiency doesn’t carry over to governing. With so many factions and vested interests, it will be extremely difficult for the billionaire class to push through a major tax cut from 21% to 15%. Significant spending cuts would be needed to offset the revenue loss, which will require a lot of negotiation and compromise.
Consequently, the seasoned Republican leaders in the House and Senate retain some control over decisions concerning Ukraine, as Musk won’t get every item on his wish list. Much will depend on the leadership of Mike Turner and Michael McCaul.
Why I like John Cornyn and Micheal McCaul?
Texas Senator Cornyn was instrumental in securing the lend-lease authorization granted to the Biden administration in May 2021. Had Biden acted on that option, I wouldn’t be writing this article today.
When Congress passed the Ukraine supplemental aid package in April 2020, the bill explicitly urged the administration to send ATACMS missiles to Ukraine — a provision included due to the efforts of Representative Michael McCaul. Without his continuous pressure, the Biden administration likely would never have sent the ATACMS missiles.
By targeting future First Lady Melania Trump, Russian state media may have inadvertently strengthened their position. So, that’s a positive outcome.
Thanks for reading. The war is getting closer to the end. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to make critical information about Ukraine accessible. That’s why I’ve made 330 stories available to the public in 2024, including this one.
