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The Trump administration has told Germany and France to draw down emergency diesel inventories to ease global fuel prices or face a potential US diesel export ban, three people close to the discussions told Reuters. This warning escalates pressure on Europe as President Donald Trump weighs a diesel export ban to lower US fuel costs ahead of November midterm elections. One source indicated the US has asked the EU to release 120 million barrels of diesel over the next six months.
Officials from the European Commission along with Germany, France, Italy, Ireland and Britain held a call on Thursday to discuss the possible need to release diesel stocks, an EU official told Reuters. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters the previous day that the administration expected announcements soon from Europe about new diesel supplies. The talks come as the US administration has grown frustrated with France and Germany for not fully following through on earlier commitments to release emergency oil and petroleum stocks.
A US official told Reuters that it is in Europe’s best interest to work with the United States as officials pursue multiple pathways to boost the supply of refined products and lower costs for consumers. Reuters reported previously that Washington has focused its criticism on Paris and Berlin for falling short of pledges made during prior coordinated releases. The demand reflects broader efforts to address record diesel prices that have strained US agriculture, trucking and manufacturing sectors.
Europe has grown more dependent on US fuel after banning Russian imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and after supply disruptions from the US-Israeli war against Iran, according to a Reuters assessment. EU rules require member states to hold emergency oil stocks covering at least 90 days of net imports or 61 days of domestic consumption. The International Energy Agency coordinated a global release of around 400 million barrels in March, with the EU committing to 20 percent of that volume while the US provided 172 million barrels.
Eurostat data for May 2025 places the EU’s emergency gasoil and diesel stocks at 39 million metric tons, Reuters reported. Germany held 5.6 million tons and France 8.2 million tons at that time, meaning the two countries accounted for roughly 35 percent of the bloc’s reserves. A drawdown of 120 million barrels would represent more than 40 percent of current stocks and equate to about one month of total EU diesel consumption, according to Reuters calculations based on 2024 demand figures.
The administration continues to explore alternatives to an outright export ban, including voluntary restraints from refiners and expanded use of tax-exempt diesel, sources familiar with the deliberations told Reuters. US diesel prices reached a record $6.53 per gallon on Sept. 22 while Brent crude traded near $100 a barrel, according to Energy Information Administration figures compiled by Reuters. Trump has publicly backed restrictions on exports to prioritize domestic supply amid the cost-of-living pressures affecting voters.
