Earth-shattering news! The problem of ammunition** for the Ukrainian army may be alleviated a little. The Czech Ministry of Defense said that in the coming weeks, Ukraine will receive 800,000 ammunition, including 500,000 155mm ammunition and 300,000 122mm ammunition, according to Europe**. Although the amount of these ammunition is huge, in the face of the war-torn Ukrainian army, which is a matter of life and death to save ammunition, these ** can only last for a month or even 45 days.
However, the fundamental solution to the problem needs to start from the source of ammunition production. With the encouragement of the United States, EU countries are actively preparing plans for the resumption and expansion of ammunition production to meet the medium and long-term needs of the Ukrainian army. But to achieve this, one key obstacle must be overcome - the shortage of raw materials needed for the production of ammunition, especially the propellant for artillery shells.
France** Macron admitted frankly that the European military industry is facing a shortage of artillery propellants**, among which the key sponges and nitrocellulose are extremely scarce. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton also pointed out that the EU is facing challenges in finding gunpowder raw materials, the most critical of which is nitrocellulose from China, and the EU cannot solve the problem of cotton with China, which makes nitrocellulose seriously threatened.
Data shows that 90% of the world's nitrocellulose comes from China, but the European Union has banned imports of products from China's Xinjiang region in the past year, including cotton raw materials. Now, the EU is in a situation of its own making. Nitrocellulose is widely used in the military industry, and if the war in Ukraine continues, the demand for nitrocellulose in the EU military industry will be more urgent.
This time, the EU needs to solve not only the problem of ammunition ** for the Ukrainian army, but also the fate of its own manufacturing industry. In this challenging war, nitrocellulose has become the difference between victory and defeat, and the EU must find a solution.
Nitrocellulose is not only a raw material for the production of artillery shells, but also a necessity for the production of bullets. The uncertainty over the duration of the war in Ukraine has made the demand for nitrocellulose in the EU military industry more urgent. In addition, in addition to the European Union, major explosives producing countries such as Japan and South Korea also rely on China's nitrocellulose exports, which also makes the problem of nitrocellulose's first chain more prominent.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who has been a strong advocate for banning imports from China's Xinjiang region, is now facing his own policy blunders. The importance of nitrocellulose is self-evident, and the EU must take measures to ensure the safety of nitrocellulose in order to maintain the stable operation of the military industry. At this critical juncture, the EU needs to work with China to solve the cotton problem and find a win-win solution.