Macron considers options to release strategic energy reserves as French fuel shortages worsen

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France is weighing the release of strategic energy reserves, signaling a push for a broader G7 meeting focused on coordinated action as fuel shortages hit service stations across the country. The move comes against a backdrop of rising fuel prices, ongoing tensions in the Middle East, and reports that over 11% of French service stations are currently out of at least one type of fuel. What Macron is proposing Macron’s September 18 statement outlined plans for an upcoming G7 meeting that would address multiple energy policy levers, not just cracking open the strategic petroleum reserve. The agenda includes enhancing European gas storage capacity, supporting refinery operations, and protecting critical energy infrastructure from hybrid threats like cyberattacks. This wouldn’t be the first time G7 nations coordinated a reserve release this year. Back in March 2026, member countries partnered with the International Energy Agency to release up to 400 million barrels of strategic oil. France’s contribution to that effort was roughly 14.5 million barrels. That earlier release was designed to stabilize markets rattled by conflicts disrupting s...