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Earlier today, a informal Group of the Willing, mostly consisting of European heads of state, met in Paris with representatives of President Trump, hoping to make more advances on a lasting peace deal for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", not a single person in that meeting wanted to risk keeping the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an enormous unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious summit, and the fundamental mood was extremely strained.

Recall the developments of the past week: the White House's contentious involvement in the South American nation and the President Trump's assertion following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting opposite two influential figures speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to avoid provoking the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that affects US support for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to compartmentalize Greenland and the debate on the war distinct. But with the political temperature rising from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of leading states at the Paris meeting released a declaration stating: "This territory is part of NATO. Security in the Arctic must therefore be secured collectively, in conjunction with alliance members such as the America".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to determine on affairs regarding Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The statement was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was slow to be formulated and, because of the limited number of endorsers to the statement, it was unable to demonstrate a European Union in agreement in purpose.

"Had there been a joint position from all 27 member states, plus NATO ally the UK, in backing of Danish authority, that would have delivered a powerful signal to America," stated a EU foreign policy specialist.

Reflect on the contradiction at hand at the France meeting. Numerous EU government and other leaders, such as the alliance and the EU, are trying to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the hostile geopolitical designs of an external actor (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to actively threatening the sovereignty of another EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, extremely strong partners. At least, they were.

The question is, should Trump make good on his desire to assert control over the island, would it represent not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a significant crisis for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

He insisted that the territory is "vitally important right now, Greenland is frequented by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Denmark is not going to be able to do it".

Copenhagen refutes that assertion. It has lately vowed to spend $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a treaty, the US operates a military base already on the island – established at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has cut the number of staff there from approximately 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to about 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking Arctic Security, recently.

Denmark has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US presence on the territory and more but in light of the US President's warning of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to take Greenland should be treated with gravity.

Following the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her counterparts in Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just emphasized – for the umpteenth time – the EU's fundamental weakness {