France weighs releasing major share of diesel reserves under US pressure

The French government is considering releasing a significant share of the country's diesel reserves in response to growing pressure from the United States on the matter.

The US has publicly called on European countries to release their fuel stockpiles. To agree on a common position, France held an emergency meeting on Thursday together with four other European countries and representatives of the European Commission.

Participants in the meeting agreed on a "firm" response to the US demands, though no details have been made public about what concrete measures this might involve or how large a share of reserves would actually be released.

It is not yet known which five countries, besides France, took part in the talks, nor is it clear when a final decision on releasing reserves might be made.

The meeting suggests that European countries want to act in a coordinated manner rather than responding individually to pressure from Washington on the fuel issue, with the European Commission also involved as a mediator among member states.

The question of diesel reserves has arisen at a time when energy supply security and dependence on external resources are regularly debated at the political level within the European Union.