Due to European sanctions, it is not possible to export the chips to countries such as Russia and Iran. However, the Nieuwsuur current affairs program has found that various Russian weapons used in the war against Ukraine contained NXP chips. “We don’t make gun shavings, but they can get in them. But that goes for many types of chips,’ the CEO points out.
NXP itself adheres to the sanctioning rules, the CEO believes. Traders are also checked and buyers are not allowed to deliver to Russia. However, Russia manages to get hold of the NXP chips. According to Nieuwsuur, this is due to dubious intermediaries who resell the chips to Russia. “If someone sneaks in, it’s bad luck,” says NXP’s CEO. ‘The stuff you see now obviously hasn’t been done in the last few months. If you’re talking about a helicopter, it really was made a long time ago. Much has already been delivered before the war. At that time, Russia was not on any list,’ says Schreurs.
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Widespread problem
Schreurs therefore finds it “annoying” that his company’s chips are being used during the war. “This is not something you want and are dying for. We are also making great efforts to solve this problem as soon as possible, to the extent that we can contribute.’
The CEO also notes that the problem is not unique to NXP. ‘This happens with many chip manufacturers. We are big with our 13 billion euro turnover, but we have a total turnover of 600 billion euro. Then it’s relative.’