European Union countries are engaged in urgent consultations to manage Donald Trump’s ultimatum demanding the release of strategic oil and diesel reserves. The U.S. president has threatened to immediately halt fuel exports from the United States to Europe — a move that risks triggering a new and deeper wave of energy crisis across the continent.
Energy crisis: Washington’s demands and the role of France and Germany
According to sources, Washington is demanding that its European partners release approximately 120 million barrels of diesel onto the market within the next six months — a quantity representing more than one-third of their total strategic reserves — with the goal of containing global fuel prices. Notably, Paris and Berlin together hold around 35% of all European reserves, making their position pivotal to any further EU decision-making.
Trump demanded 120 million barrels — Europe won’t give even half
At the center of EU discussions is a French proposal that falls well short of Donald Trump’s demands. Specifically, according to a European source familiar with the talks, France’s proposal calls for European countries to release 50 million barrels of diesel, while International Energy Agency members would release an additional 50 million barrels of crude oil.
As a first condition, European countries are united in insisting that any agreement on the release of reserves must include a commitment from the United States to refrain from imposing a unilateral ban on diesel exports, the source said.
Divisions within the G7 — Macron’s message
G7 countries were set to hold talks to discuss next steps. Emmanuel Macron called on all parties to “act in a coordinated manner, without export restrictions,” in order to bring fuel prices down. “The President stressed that it is in the interest of G7 countries to act in a coordinated manner, without export restrictions,” according to a statement issued following a phone call between the French and U.S. presidents.
Macron also spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and “intends to organize a G7 leaders’ video conference as soon as possible to ensure coordination of the measures to be taken,” the Élysée Palace announced.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stated that the European Union is in discussions with all International Energy Agency members — not only the United States — about an appropriate timeframe for releasing diesel reserves. “It is one of the options we have, we have used it before, and it is likely that we will use it again,” the Commissioner told Euronews.
