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This very day, a informal Coalition of the Committed, largely made up of European officials, convened in Paris with envoys of US President Donald Trump, attempting to secure more headway on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a plan to conclude the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", not a single person in that gathering wanted to jeopardise keeping the Washington onboard.

Yet, there was an enormous glaring omission in that opulent and luxurious gathering, and the prevailing atmosphere was profoundly strained.

Bear in mind the developments of the last few days: the Trump administration's divisive intervention in the South American nation and the American leader's declaration shortly thereafter, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the perspective of national security".

Greenland is the world's largest island – it's 600% the size of Germany. It is located in the far north but is an self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned opposite two influential personalities representing Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European counterparts to refrain from provoking the US over the Arctic question, for fear that that affects US support for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on Ukraine distinct. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from the White House and Denmark, representatives of major states at the gathering put out a communiqué asserting: "The island is part of NATO. Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with NATO allies including the US".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them only, to decide on issues related to Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The announcement was received positively by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was tardy to be put together and, because of the restricted set of signatories to the statement, it did not manage to project a European Union in agreement in objective.

"Had there been a unified statement from all 27 EU partners, plus NATO ally the UK, in backing of Danish sovereignty, that would have sent a powerful message to America," stated a EU foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the contradiction at play at the European gathering. Several European national and other leaders, including NATO and the EU, are attempting to involve the White House in guaranteeing the future independence of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Russia), just after the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also persistently actively undermining the autonomy of a different European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, exceptionally strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, should Trump act upon his goal to assert control over the island, would it represent not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a major crisis for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has voiced his resolve to acquire Greenland. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

On Sunday that the landmass is "crucially located right now, it is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to handle it".

Copenhagen contests that assertion. It has lately pledged to invest $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a treaty, the US has a defense installation already on Greenland – set up at the onset of the Cold War. It has cut the total of staff there from around 10,000 during peak the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of taking its eye off polar defense, up to this point.

Denmark has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US footprint on the island and more but faced with the US President's assertion of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

After the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts in Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just emphasized – once again – Europe's core shortcoming {