Diesel américain : la France et quatre autres pays européens s’accordent sur une réponse “ferme”

Five European nations - France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Ireland and the European Commission - agreed during an emergency meeting on Thursday to respond "in unison" to mounting pressure from the US government to release their strategic petroleum reserves, according to POLITICO sources. The five countries, along with the European executive, agreed on three points: to react with a "coordinated voice", ensure any decision on releasing stocks is taken at the International Energy Agency (IEA) level, and seek to "ease tensions in trade with the US".

The IEA, headquartered in Paris, coordinates energy policy for developed nations and oversaw the release of petroleum stocks earlier this year following the Strait of Hormuz closure. The aim is to "de-escalate" the situation, explained one of the sources. "When dealing with a famished lion, you don't necessarily give it bad gifts."

A broader group of countries, some of whom also faced US pressures, will meet on Friday to discuss their response. Earlier, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright proposed an alternative to a diesel export embargo - releasing strategic petroleum stocks to the market. Diesel prices are soaring in the US due to conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, and pressure mounts on Trump to lower prices ahead of decisive midterm elections.

The US president is not considering an export ban, despite strong opposition from the US petroleum sector. "I'm thinking about it", Trump said during a White House event. After consulting with other administration members, he indicated they "believe it would help diesel prices but could raise the cost of other products".