European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic recently warned that the EU could be unprepared if the United States decided to impose restrictions on diesel exports. He said the EU would continue to engage in talks with Washington to avoid a "bad surprise" and stressed that any export ban would be unexpected for Europeans and could have serious economic consequences. Sefcovic made these remarks during the G20 Trade meeting in the United States. According to reports from the news agency Reuters, the United States has asked France and Germany to release diesel reserves to lower global fuel prices. The U.S. reportedly threatened to ban American diesel exports, which Europe relies on. A source in a European capital said Washington is requesting the EU to release 120 million barrels of diesel over the next six months, a large amount compared to the known reserves of European countries. Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, previously stated that while the United States and Japan are meeting their commitments, several European countries have only released a small portion of the crude oil and petroleum products they promised. He called on EU members to fulfill their obligations. American President Donald Trump has mentioned considering a ban on U.S. diesel exports to help lower prices in the United States ahead of the November midterm elections. Diesel prices have reached record highs across the Atlantic, averaging $6.53 per gallon (3.78 liters) this week, significantly impacting transportation and agriculture. Trump noted that an embargo on diesel could raise the prices of other petroleum products, indicating he is aware of the risks such a ban could pose to the American economy. Instead, he seems to favor pressuring Europe to release its reserves to stabilize prices. The United States is currently the world's largest exporter of diesel, sending more than 1.5 million barrels per day. A study by Oxford Economics suggests that a U.S. export ban could lead to a short-term 30% drop in U.S. diesel prices but might cause a 40% to 50% increase in European diesel prices. In France, this could push prices above 3 euros per liter.