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UK and Europe weigh emergency diesel stockpile release as Trump threatens export cutoff
Britain discussed releasing emergency diesel reserves with European allies after Trump threatened to cut off US diesel exports unless Europe opens its stockpiles.
Why it matters
The global diesel crunch is pulling governments into open confrontation. With China halting October fuel exports, Ukrainian strikes hitting Russian refineries and US-Iran tensions lifting prices, Washington is now pressing its own allies to open emergency reserves — while threatening to shut off American exports if they do not.
Full report
Britain held talks on Thursday with counterparts from the European Commission, Germany, France, Italy and Ireland on whether to release emergency diesel stockpiles, after US President Donald Trump threatened to restrict American diesel exports.
The warning, first reported by Reuters, came as the Trump administration told Germany and France to draw down their reserves to help ease soaring global energy prices — or face a potential US export ban. Trump said in Texas that a ban was under serious consideration to lower domestic fuel prices ahead of November's midterm elections: "We may do that. They have some diesel."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to act "immediately" in a social media post, writing that European partners "should accelerate delivery on their existing commitments and make additional supplies immediately available." Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he expected European countries to announce additional diesel supplies shortly, noting the US had lost diesel exports from the Middle East and China.
According to reports, Washington asked the EU to release 120 million barrels of diesel over the next six months — roughly 40% of Europe's emergency diesel holdings. French officials said Emmanuel Macron is expected to convene a G7 video conference with the International Energy Agency to discuss fuel prices.
For Britain the stakes are direct: about a third of UK diesel imports last year came from the US, and the average UK pump price hit a record 199.72p per litre on Wednesday, according to the RAC. UK energy minister Martin McCluskey joined Thursday's call. No export ban has been announced and no European release on that scale has been agreed.
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