Norway's defence minister responded to an announcement by Norwegian oil and shipping company Haltbakk Bunkers that it would no longer refuel United States ships, saying American forces will "continue to receive the requested supplies and support from Norway."
Stressing that the company’s decision does not align with the government’s policies, Tore Sandvik said Norway and the US continue their defence cooperation.
Haltbakk Bunkers had announced its decision to stop refueling American ships following a dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the White House.
"No fuel for the Americans! We encourage all Norwegians and Europeans to follow our example," the company said in a statement.
Heated exchange at Oval Office
The decision came after the fiery exchange between Zelenskyy, Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance at the Oval Office meeting in the White House.
Trump criticized the Ukrainian leader's attitude during the exchange, while Zelenskyy expressed his expectation of support for his country.
The highly undiplomatic war of words lasted roughly for 10 minutes as Zelenskyy sought to defend his handling of the more than three-year conflict with Russia.
Zelenskyy departed the White House following the public spat. A planned signing ceremony for a deal on critical minerals and a news conference were canceled.
