European Union governments and its member states expressed hope on Tuesday that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, will retract his threat to halt diesel exports for 90 days.
Statements from the Irish Minister of Energy
Dara O'Brien, the Irish Minister of Energy, whose country currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, stated in a conversation with reporters before the EU energy ministers' meeting in Dublin that he received assurances from representatives of the Trump administration in Washington, D.C. last week that the likelihood of such a ban is low.
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O'Brien stated: "Undoubtedly, halting diesel exports for 90 days would have significant impacts on us in the European Union. However, it seems that according to the information I received in Washington last week, there are no efforts in this direction."
Comments from other European officials
Dan Jørgensen, the EU Energy Commissioner, also joined in these remarks and said on Tuesday morning in Dublin that he was pleased with the public statements of Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, who announced that a diesel export ban would not be practical.
Last week, Trump threatened to temporarily halt diesel exports as prices in the United States have risen due to the war in Iran and Russia's export restrictions following attacks on Ukrainian refineries.
This action could create a wave of concern in European energy markets, as reported by S&P Global Energy, U.S. diesel exports account for over 50 percent of the EU's diesel imports and 10 percent of total diesel consumption in Europe.
O'Brien emphasized: "We cannot simply accept this situation. But when you speak with other representatives of the U.S. government, it does not seem that this action will take place. I think that a diesel export ban would have impacts on the United States, just as it would affect other fuels as well."
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