Running on Empty: U.S. Navy Loses Key Fuel Supplier
Norway’s Haltbakk Bunkers Just Sent a Message to Washington
Executive Summary
Haltbakk Bunkers, a Norwegian fuel supplier, has taken the unprecedented step of halting all fuel sales to the U.S. Navy in Norway and American ships docking in Norwegian ports, citing outrage over recent U.S. actions regarding Ukraine. The move follows the widely condemned ambush of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a televised event featuring President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, which included the presence of a TASS reporter—raising severe security concerns. This decision signals not only logistical difficulties for U.S. military operations in Norway but also a larger geopolitical shift, as European actors increasingly distance themselves from U.S. leadership. The probability of similar actions spreading across Europe is high, with further erosion of transatlantic unity likely. The potential for worsening U.S. relations with NATO and EU partners is significant, and the Biden-era framework of Western solidarity against Russia is rapidly fracturing.