Donald Trump’s heated clash with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Oval Office has led to the US army losing a fuel supplier - and has sparked division within his own party.
An ugly confrontation between the United States president and the Ukraine leader was broadcast around the world last Friday where Trump claimed Zelensky was being “disrespectful” and “gambling with WW3”. It resulted in Ukraine’s president being kicked out of the White House, and a deal to exchange mineral rights for further US military support was placed on ice.
And now petrol giant Haltbakk Bunkers said it would no longer sell fuel to US forces in Norway following the way Zelensky was treated as it declared: “No fuel to Americans.” The Norwegian firm posted on social media: “"We have today been witnesses to the biggest s***how ever presented "live on tv" by the current American president and his vice president.
"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. Short and sweet. As a result, we have decided to immediate STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports.
"No Fuel to Americans! We encourage all Norwegians and Europeans to follow our example. SLAVA UKRAINA" While the owner of the company, Gunnar Gran, has told Norwegian maritime news site Kystens Næringsliv that “not a litre of fuel” will be delivered “until Trump is finished”.
The owner also said that the group has excluded Russians since Putin's invasion, adding: "It gave a lot of our competitors a lot of extra revenue. We lost a lot of revenue. But we have a moral compass. Now the United States is excluded based on their behaviour towards the Ukrainians.” The fuel ban takes effect immediately and applies to vessels calling at Norwegian ports.
Reports in the US media suggested Trump was even considering halting all aid to Kyiv after the meeting, in which he and his vice president, JD Vance, engaged in heated exchanges with Zelensky. But European leaders soon rallied in a show of solidarity with Ukraine, while Sir Keir tried to keep the peace and spoke to both presidents over the phone.
Meanwhile Trump’s attempt to bully Zelensky has been attacked by members of his own party. Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, a moderate, who has previously opposed Trump's approach, posted on X: "I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin." Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon said: “A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.”
Fellow Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, from Pennsylvania, said: “It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today’s meeting regarding Ukraine’s future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.” And Mike Lawler, from New York, agreed: “Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster — especially for Ukraine.”
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The Prime Minister then welcomed Zelensky to Downing Street on Saturday, in a meeting described as “meaningful and warm” by the Ukrainian leader. The two men embraced as they met, and again later as they parted, and Sir Keir took the unusual step of walking Mr Zelensky to his car, instead of waving him goodbye from the front step of No 10. European leaders are gathering in London today to forge a common position on ending the war in Ukraine, before Sir Keir heads off to meet the King.