The Trump administration reportedly pressed Germany and France to release diesel from their emergency reserves, warning that Washington could restrict US diesel exports if not.
The pressure, reported Thursday by Reuters, came as President Trump considers curbing US diesel exports in an effort to reduce fuel prices ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Washington is asking the European Union to release of 120 million barrels of diesel from reserves over a six-month period, a source based in a European capital was quoted as saying.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright presented the plan as an alternative to an outright ban on US exports of diesel, according to Politico.
European officials were discussing the issue Thursday, with the European Commission, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland and Britain holding a call on a possible release of diesel stocks.
“It is in Europe’s best interest to work with the United States as we pursue multiple pathways to boost the supply of refined products and lower costs for consumers,” a Trump administration official told The Post.
Washington believes Germany and France have fallen short of previous pledges to draw down emergency oil and petroleum reserves, Reuters previously reported.
Wright said Wednesday that the administration expected Europe to announce additional diesel supplies soon.
“We’ve lost some diesel exports from the Middle East, although we’re restoring those, and we’ve lost diesel exports from China,” Wright told reporters.
“So that’s a lot of interruptions.”
Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland have the largest reserves in the EU, Politico noted. With 315 million barrels total in the bloc’s reserves, the volume requested by the Trump administration would come to a third of the reserves, the outlet added.
A French official said the diesel issue did not come up when Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met in New York during the UN General Assembly last week, according to Reuters.
The official said Macron would bring G7 leaders together by video to address higher fuel prices and supplies of refined products worldwide.
The talks will include coordination of reserve releases with the International Energy Agency, the official added.
The US approached one major European country to talk diesel last week, a senior European official told Politico.
“It was very hypothetical: ‘What do you think about Europe releasing some of the reserves in order to decrease prices, put pressure on supplies?’” the person was quoted as saying. “‘It could also help our government not to continue the discussion on the export ban.’”
Europe has become increasingly reliant on US fuel after banning Russian imports following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and after the US-Israeli war against Iran disrupted supplies from the Middle East.
Germany’s economic ministry did not immediately answer a request for comment. Its French counterpart declined to comment.