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Earlier today, a self-styled Alliance of the Willing, predominantly consisting of European heads of state, convened in the French capital with envoys of the Trump administration, aiming to make more headway on a sustainable 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 endanger retaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious gathering, and the underlying mood was extremely uneasy.

Bear in mind the actions of the last few days: the White House's controversial intervention in the South American nation and the President Trump's declaration following this, that "we need Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

This massive island is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic region but is an semi-independent territory of Denmark's.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned facing two influential personalities acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from her EU colleagues to refrain from antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have far preferred to keep Greenland and the debate on the war separate. But with the tensions mounting from Washington and Denmark, leaders of leading EU countries at the gathering released a declaration stating: "This territory is part of NATO. Defense in the North must therefore be achieved jointly, in partnership with treaty partners including the United States".

"The decision is for Denmark and Greenland, and them alone, to determine on affairs related to the kingdom and Greenland," the statement continued.

The announcement was welcomed by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was tardy to be formulated and, because of the small number of supporters to the declaration, it failed to project a Europe united in intent.

"Had there been a common statement from all 27 European Union countries, along with NATO ally the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have delivered a powerful warning to Washington," noted a European foreign policy analyst.

Ponder the irony at hand at the France meeting. Several EU government and other officials, including the alliance and the European Union, are trying to engage the US administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the expansionist geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also continuing to publicly undermining the autonomy of a different EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both members of the defensive pact NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, profoundly close allies. Or were.

The issue is, should Trump fulfill his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a profound challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

This is far from the first instance Trump has expressed his intention to control the Arctic island. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the landmass is "vitally important right now, Greenland is frequented by Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the perspective of national security and Denmark is unable to provide security".

Denmark refutes that claim. It not long ago vowed to allocate $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US maintains a defense installation presently on Greenland – set up at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has reduced the figure of staff there from around 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has long been accused of overlooking Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has signaled it is open to discussion about a bigger US role on the territory and additional measures but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

Following the American intervention in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – Europe's basic weakness {