Brief
EU rejects US threat to ban diesel exports unless reserves are released
European officials say a US ban would damage trust and stress the need for coordinated reserve releases.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The European Union on Friday rejected a United States threat to ban diesel exports unless European countries release more strategic fuel stocks, European Commission spokeswoman Anna‑Kaisa Itkonen told France24.
What happened
The United States, amid soaring fuel prices linked to its war in Iran and broader geopolitical tensions, hinted at a diesel export ban as a lever to lower domestic diesel costs. In response, the EU said any ban would "not be beneficial to anyone" and would undermine trust in the United States as a reliable partner. The bloc also signalled readiness to cooperate with the International Energy Agency (IEA) on possible reserve releases.
What the reports add
France24 reported that French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with President Donald Trump, urging G7 nations to act in coordination without export restrictions. The French president’s office said the G7 would discuss a video call as early as Friday afternoon. The article also noted that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged European partners to accelerate existing commitments and make additional supplies available.
What was said
"We fully reject any ban on diesel. A ban would not be beneficial to anyone. It would undermine our trust in the United States as a reliable partner," Itkonen said, according to France24.
"The president stressed that G7 countries had a common interest in acting in a coordinated way, without export restrictions," Macron’s office said after his call with Trump.
"Our European partners should accelerate delivery on their existing commitments and make additional supplies immediately available," Bessent wrote on social media.
How it came about
The dispute follows weeks of rising diesel prices in the US and Europe, driven by the US‑Iran conflict and attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Earlier this week, IEA head Fatih Birol said a large portion of agreed‑upon reserve releases remained untapped, and EU trade chief Maros Šefčovič warned that a US ban would have "dramatic consequences" for European economic performance.
Key facts
- The EU fully rejected a US threat to ban diesel exports. (france24.com)
- EU Commission spokeswoman Anna‑Kaisa Itkonen said a ban would undermine trust. (france24.com)
- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to release more diesel reserves. (france24.com)
- French President Emmanuel Macron called for G7 coordination without export restrictions. (france24.com)
Sources
- [1] france24.com — originally reported as “EU ‘fully rejects’ US threat to ban diesel exports unless bloc releases more fuel stocks”
