In early March, Norwegian marine fuel supplier Haltbakk Bunkers made headlines by refusing to service a United States warship and urging others to boycott the US fleet. The CEO, Gunnar Gran, was reportedly angered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s treatment in the White House by US President Donald Trump. The company’s Facebook post condemning the US actions was later deleted, and the Norwegian government reassured that US warships would still receive the necessary support.
The incident shed light on the reliance of US forces in Europe on local suppliers and government cooperation. Past events, such as Greece and Cyprus denying refueling assistance during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, have complicated US operations. US forces have established redundancies in their supply chain, with the US Sixth Fleet maintaining a significant resupply base in Greece’s Souda Bay.
Despite some challenges, European NATO officers have emphasized seamless cooperation with the US military. However, Haltbakk’s refusal of bunkering service was deemed “counterproductive” by experts, as it risked alienating essential US forces in the region.
There is a growing concern about the US commitment to European security, especially with recent tensions and threats made by the Trump administration towards NATO allies. Some experts believe that the Trump administration’s actions signify a departure from the traditional doctrine of cooperation with Europe on security matters.
The potential shift in US policy towards Europe has raised questions about the strategic value of US bases in the region. Some speculate that a closer security understanding with Russia could be motivated by a desire to counter China and reduce costs for the US military presence in Europe. The uncertainty surrounding US commitment to European security has raised doubts about NATO’s mutual defense guarantee. Menteri Pertahanan AS Pete Hegseth telah mengkonfirmasikannya, tapi Trump telah membuatnya bersyarat pada tingkat pengeluaran pertahanan yang belum ia tentukan.
Banyak warga Eropa telah bertanya-tanya apakah pasukan AS yang ditempatkan di Eropa akan diperintahkan untuk bertindak dalam kasus serangan.
“Jangan menutup kemungkinan adanya kejutan besar jika sifat antikonstitusional dari tindakan Trump-Musk terus berlanjut sampai pada titik di mana akhirnya mulai ada tanda-tanda perlawanan dari dalam sistem AS,” Giles mengatakan, merujuk pada Trump memberikan kekuasaan sewenang-wenang kepada miliarder Elon Musk untuk merampingkan pemerintah federal.
Ditanya apakah proses memisahkan AS dari Eropa tidak dapat dibalikkan, ia mengatakan, “Akan segera, kecuali jika itu baik ditentang di dalam Amerika Serikat atau ada sesuatu yang tak terduga terjadi.”