Norway has reiterated its commitment to supplying fuel for U.S. Navy ships despite a private marine fuel supplier threatening to boycott the U.S. due to deteriorating U.S.-Ukraine relations.
“We have seen reports raising concerns about support for U.S. Navy vessels in Norway. This is not in line with the Norwegian government’s policy,” Norway’s Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said in a statement Sunday.
The statement comes after privately held Norwegian fuel supplier Haltbakk Bunkers announced on social media its intentions to boycott the U.S. Navy following an exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
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The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is seen during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command’s fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson in waters around Okinawa southwest of the Korean peninsula, October 9, 2017. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth Abbate/via Reuters)
“Huge credit to the president of Ukraine restraining himself and for keeping calm even though USA put on a backstabbing TV show. It made us sick… No Fuel to Americans!,” the company said in a Facebook post that has since been deleted.
The company’s CEO, Gunnar Gran, confirmed to the Norwegian newspaper VG that he had decided not to supply the U.S. military, although the move would only have a symbolic impact since Haltbakk Bunkers does not have a fixed contract with the U.S. government.
The company’s threat follows a heated exchange in the Oval Office among Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President JD Vance on Friday, when Vance accused the Ukrainian leader of being “disrespectful” to Trump in the White House.
“Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance told Zelenskyy. “Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines, because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for bringing it, to bring it into this country.”
Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)
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Trump then joined the fray after Zelenskyy claimed that the U.S. would feel the war “in the future,” an argument the American leader did not appreciate.
“You don’t know that,” Trump responded. “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as U.S. Vice President JD Vance reacts at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2025. (Reuters/Brian Snyder/File Photo)
The exchange caused concerns about the U.S.’s commitment to Ukraine’s war effort and Trump’s relationship with European allies.
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But Norway, a NATO ally, affirmed that it will continue to support American forces with the necessary supply and assistance.
“American forces will continue to receive the supply and support they require from Norway,” Sandvik emphasized.
