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Russia is at the center of a rail cargo route providing Western arms manufacturers with a steady supply of rare earth elements.

“What has changed is that compared to the Cold War era, economic tools of coercion have become more prominent in managing competition,” Loss said from Berlin. Alternative middle and southern corridors have capacity constraints, aren’t yet fully developed and are unable to absorb the losses from the northern route. The rail journey from China to Europe can take several routes. The value of that trade rose by more than fourth-fifths, to €377 million ($408 million) through September. “It underlines the importance of those rare earths and shows how much we depend on them.” During the Cold War, Soviet metal supplies helped stock western arsenals pointed at Moscow. Ocean cargo from Asia to northern Europe can take twice that long. Wurmser spoke from Davos, Switzerland, where he was meeting with industry executives trying to diversify supply chains of strategic minerals. Russian Railways JSC and other carriers are hauling a rising volume of critical metals needed for Europe’s defense industry. Russia is at the center of a rail cargo route supplying Western arms manufacturers with a steady supply of metals needed to make the microchips, electronics and ammunition used in modern weaponry. and Rheinmetall AG — is covered by China. Giving Ukraine modern tanks remains a key question facing Kyiv’s allies after a meeting of top defense officials in Germany on Friday yielded little progress.