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Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, largely consisting of EU leaders, gathered in Paris with representatives of US President Donald Trump, aiming to achieve further progress on a durable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to conclude the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", not a single person in that meeting wanted to jeopardise retaining the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that grand and luxurious summit, and the underlying tension was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the developments of the recent days: the White House's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the President Trump's assertion soon after, that "we need Greenland from the perspective of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's largest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two powerful figures speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU colleagues to refrain from alienating the US over Greenland, in case that affects US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have much rather to compartmentalize the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war distinct. But with the diplomatic heat mounting from Washington and Denmark, representatives of leading EU countries at the gathering released a communiqué stating: "The island is part of NATO. Defense in the North must therefore be secured together, in partnership with treaty partners like the America".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters regarding Denmark and Greenland," the declaration continued.

The communique was welcomed by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was slow to be formulated and, because of the restricted group of supporters to the statement, it did not manage to show a Europe aligned in purpose.

"Were there a joint statement from all 27 EU partners, plus NATO ally the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's authority, that would have sent a strong signal to Washington," stated a EU foreign policy expert.

Consider the contradiction at work at the European gathering. Several EU national and other officials, including the alliance and the EU, are seeking to involve the White House in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the expansionist land claims of an external actor (Russia), immediately after the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela with force, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to actively challenging the territorial integrity of a further continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally strong partners. Or were.

The question is, if Trump were to make good on his desire to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is far from the first instance Trump has spoken of his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's suggested buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the island is "vitally important right now, Greenland is frequented by foreign naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests and Denmark is unable to do it".

Denmark contests that assertion. It has lately committed to spend $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US maintains a strategic outpost presently on the island – set up at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the total of troops there from around 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to around 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking polar defense, up to this point.

Copenhagen has signaled it is open to discussion about a bigger US presence on the territory and further cooperation but confronted by the US President's threat of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

After the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her counterparts throughout Europe are doing just that.

"This whole situation has just emphasized – yet again – the EU's core weakness {