Haltbakk Bunkers, a Norwegian oil and shipping company, has announced an immediate cessation of fuel supplies to U.S. military forces docking at Norwegian ports. This bold move follows a highly charged meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Friday, which left many observers in disbelief.
In response to the tense exchange, Haltbakk Bunkers, which supplied approximately 3,000,000 liters of fuel to U.S. military forces in 2024, issued a scathing statement on its Facebook page, which was later deleted due to the heavy traffic it generated. The company described the meeting as “the greatest ‘sh*t show’ ever presented live on television by the current American president and his vice president.” They commended President Zelensky for his restraint, saying, “Huge credit to the president of Ukraine for keeping calm, despite the USA’s backstabbing TV show. It made us sick. Short and sweet.”
The company went on to declare that, as a result of the meeting, they would immediately halt fuel deliveries to American forces operating in Norway and to U.S. ships arriving at Norwegian ports.
The decision was made in response to a tense Oval Office meeting that had initially been intended to discuss potential peace negotiations with Russia and the future access of the U.S. to Ukraine’s mineral resources. However, the talks quickly deteriorated into a confrontational exchange, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly criticizing President Zelensky. They accused him of endangering global security by resisting a peace treaty with Russia and of showing insufficient gratitude toward U.S. support. The meeting ended abruptly, and no agreement on the mineral resources was reached.
Haltbakk Bunkers’ CEO, Gunnar Gran, stood firm on the company’s decision, expressing his moral stance in an interview with Norwegian outlet Kystens. “As you probably understand, not a liter will be delivered until Trump is finished,” Gran stated, reiterating the company’s commitment to supporting Ukraine. He further urged Norwegians and Europeans to follow their lead in boycotting U.S. military support, adding, “Slava Ukrainia,” in a show of solidarity.
Gran clarified that the company has many Ukrainian employees and understands the devastating impact the war has had on them and their families. Haltbakk Bunkers, based in Aure, Norway, specializes in fuel products, lubricants, and other maritime supplies, though its dealings with the U.S. military in Norway have been limited. The U.S. Marine Corps has relied on commercial partners for logistical support in the region, particularly during exercises and crisis responses.
While the Norwegian government has not made any public statement supporting Haltbakk’s stance, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store emphasized that it is too soon to evaluate the full ramifications of Trump’s meeting with Zelensky. “We now have five to six weeks left of Trump’s presidency. I think we still have to work on understanding the consequences of the style, the actions, and the words they use,” Store told NRK.
Gran, however, expressed confidence that the fuel boycott would not “upset anyone” and called it a matter of moral principle. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Haltbakk Bunkers has already stopped doing business with Russian entities, despite significant financial losses. “It gave a lot of our competitors extra revenue, but we have a moral compass,” Gran stated, emphasizing that the company chooses its customers based on their actions. “Now, the United States is excluded based on their behavior towards the Ukrainians,” he added, underscoring the company’s commitment to standing by Ukraine during this ongoing crisis.
The move to cut ties with the U.S. government further illustrates the deepening divisions in global politics, where business decisions are becoming increasingly influenced by moral and political considerations. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to shape international relations, the actions of companies like Haltbakk Bunkers are serving as a potent reminder of the power of corporate decisions in the geopolitics of today.
