Against the backdrop of declining Russian diesel exports, the European Union could face a sharp increase in transport costs if the US also restricts supplies of this type of fuel, writes the British magazine The Spectator.
The EU is the main buyer of American fuel, while at the same time banning imports of Russian diesel, as well as fuel produced from Russian oil in refineries in India and Turkey. Given that US President Donald Trump has previously signaled an imminent ban on US diesel exports, the community is expecting a “perfect storm” in which rising transport costs in Europe will lead to a sharp increase in household spending, which will significantly affect the outcome of several upcoming elections in EU countries, the magazine notes.
Trump previously said that he had raised the issue of banning US diesel exports in conversations with his entourage. Meanwhile, the White House rejected as incorrect information by Politico that the US administration was developing a plan to impose a 90-day ban on diesel exports.