The Norwegian government has reassured the United States Navy that it will continue receiving fuel supplies, despite a private Norwegian fuel company, Haltbakk Bunkers, announcing it would no longer supply American ships.
The company’s decision came after a heated exchange between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday.
In a statement released on Sunday, Norway’s Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said that the decision by Haltbakk Bunkers does not reflect the government’s stance.
“We have seen reports raising concerns about support for the U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government’s policy. American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway,” he said.
Haltbakk Bunkers, a privately held Norwegian marine fuel supplier, took to social media to criticize Trump and Vance’s handling of the meeting with Zelenskyy. The company’s now-deleted Facebook post called the exchange the “biggest sh**show ever presented live on TV” and praised Zelensky for maintaining his composure. It ended with the declaration, “No Fuel to Americans!”
CEO Gunnar Gran later confirmed to Norwegian newspaper Kystens Næringsliv, that the company had decided to stop supplying fuel to the U.S. military. He said the move was largely symbolic, as Haltbakk Bunkers did not have a fixed contract with the U.S. government.
The recent Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, has drawn sharp international reactions. Several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, voiced their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine following the clash.
The dispute also raised concerns over U.S. commitment to aiding Ukraine as the war with Russia enters its third year.
In the aftermath, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on ABC’s This Week that he had not spoken to Zelenskyy or Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha since the confrontation. Rubio added that the U.S. remains open to re-engaging with Ukraine when it is ready to negotiate peace.
