The European Union has rejected pressure from the United States to release emergency diesel reserves, pushing back against a Trump administration demand that would shift part of the burden of soaring US fuel prices onto European strategic stocks amid the war with Iran.

European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said Friday that the bloc “fully rejects” a US threat to restrict diesel exports if European countries refuse to draw down their reserves.

“A ban would not be beneficial to anyone. It ⁠would undermine our trust ⁠in the United States as a reliable partner,” she said.

The confrontation escalated after President Donald Trump said Washington could ask European countries to release diesel reserves to curb rising US fuel prices, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to “immediately” tap its stocks.

The US pressure comes as the Trump administration confronts rising domestic fuel costs amid the aggression on Iran and ahead of the November midterm elections.

According to people familiar with the discussions, Washington has pressed major European countries, including France and Germany, to release large volumes of diesel within a short period while holding out the threat of restrictions on US diesel exports.

For Europe, the demand creates a stark dilemma: use strategic reserves to help ease fuel-price pressure while Persian Gulf supplies remain uncertain, or preserve stocks intended to protect European consumers against further disruptions.

EU countries discussed a French proposal on Friday to release 50 million barrels of diesel, about 17% of the bloc’s emergency diesel and gasoil reserves and roughly 3% of annual consumption.

European officials have also discussed making any release conditional on Washington abandoning the threat of a unilateral diesel export ban.

The dispute underscores Europe’s vulnerability after becoming increasingly dependent on US diesel imports while reducing its reliance on Russian supplies.

Meanwhile, global fuel markets are facing additional disruptions, including reduced Russian exports following attacks on refineries and China’s suspension of October fuel exports to strengthen domestic stocks.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said Europe was discussing a possible diesel release with all members of the International Energy Agency, rather than simply responding to Washington’s demands.

“This is one ⁠of the opportunities that we ⁠have; ⁠we have used it ⁠before and it is likely that we would use it again,” he told Euronews.

The IEA agreed in March to release 400 million barrels from strategic oil reserves in response to disruptions caused by the US war on Iran, the largest such release in its history.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said members have already released about two-thirds of those volumes.

The dispute now places Europe between two competing pressures: rising fuel costs and the need to preserve emergency reserves, while Washington seeks additional supplies abroad as it grapples with the consequences of the conflict and its impact on the US energy market.