
The Trump administration has warned Germany and France to release their emergency diesel reserves in a bid to ease global fuel prices or face a possible ban on US diesel exports.
This is according to three officials with knowledge of the matter, Reuters reported. The warning marks an escalation of pressure on Europe as US President Donald Trump considers banning diesel exports to lower fuel prices in the US ahead of the mid-term elections in November.
"It is in Europe's best interest to cooperate with the United States as we pursue several paths to increase the supply of refined petroleum products and reduce costs for consumers," the US official was quoted as saying.
The US administration has been particularly unhappy with France and Germany, which US officials believe have not fully fulfilled previous commitments to release oil reserves.
A second source, based in a European capital, said the US has asked the European Union to release 120 million barrels of diesel fuel over the next six months. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters on Wednesday that the US administration expected Europe to make announcements about increasing diesel supplies soon.
Europe has become increasingly dependent on American fuel, after it halted imports from Russia after the war in and after the US-Israeli war against Iran cut off supplies from the Middle East.