France proposes EU release large oil and diesel reserves
French officials have proposed during emergency talks that EU countries release tens of millions of barrels of strategic oil and diesel reserves, though Germany remains hesitant. G7 leaders are also expected to discuss the issue.
French government officials put forward a proposal on Friday, October 2, during emergency talks with other European Union countries to carry out a large-scale release of strategic crude oil and diesel fuel reserves. The news was reported by Politico, citing informed sources, with the information further relayed by the outlet "Evropeiska pravda".
According to the report, the proposal was raised during a meeting of EU energy officials on Friday. Paris urged EU member states to release 50 million barrels of crude oil along with another 50 million barrels of diesel fuel. One source familiar with the matter said the plan is still at the technical assessment stage.
Germany's caution
Berlin, however, has reportedly been reluctant to agree to releasing any volume of fuel reserves. According to one of the sources involved in the talks, Germany and several other countries do not want the mechanism to be used without genuine need — in their view, reserves should only be released when supply security is truly at risk.
It also remains unclear whether the release of reserves would be coordinated at the EU level or handled through bilateral arrangements between individual countries. This uncertainty is compounded by what was described as a "chaotic" approach from the United States, which has been sending different requests to different countries.
G7 talks planned
French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to hold a phone call with his G7 counterparts on the matter. It was previously reported that Macron, in a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, stressed the need for joint G7 efforts to address rising fuel prices.
