Europe has stepped up imports of jet fuel from the United States and Asia, and boosted operations at its domestic refineries, in an effort to absorb the shock of any potential supply disruptions.
Reuters reported that these measures, despite their temporary effectiveness, do not mask the structural fragility of European countries, as the continent, especially Britain, France and Germany, remains the most vulnerable in the world, given the renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that threaten crude oil supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and reflect decades of refinery closures that have made Europe more dependent than others on oil tankers coming from the Gulf.
Energy Aspects consultancy data, released on June 18, 2026, predicted a supply deficit in Europe of about 600,000 barrels per day in the third quarter, compared to a surplus of 116,000 barrels per day in the United States and 425,000 barrels per day in the Asia-Pacific region.
The company stated that inventories stood at 38 million barrels at the beginning of June 2026, compared to 99 million barrels in the United States. Calculations indicate that European inventories will cover demand for less than 30 days, making it the tightest of the major jet fuel markets.
Before the outbreak of war on February 28, 2026, Europe relied on the Middle East for about half of its jet fuel imports.
In March 2026, analysts predicted that African countries, which imported most of their jet fuel from the Middle East, would be the most affected.
