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Earlier today, a so-called Alliance of the Willing, mostly consisting of EU leaders, gathered in Paris with delegates of the Trump administration, hoping to secure more headway on a durable settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to end the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that meeting wanted to risk maintaining the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that grand and glittering summit, and the fundamental atmosphere was profoundly strained.

Consider the actions of the recent days: the US administration's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's insistence soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

Greenland is the world's biggest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It is located in the far north but is an semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned facing two key individuals representing Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU counterparts to refrain from alienating the US over the Arctic question, in case that affects US support for Ukraine.

The continent's officials would have far preferred to keep the Arctic dispute and the debate on Ukraine distinct. But with the diplomatic heat rising from Washington and Copenhagen, leaders of big European nations at the gathering issued a statement saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be attained together, in cooperation with alliance members such as the United States".

"It is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to determine on affairs concerning Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué added.

The statement was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was delayed to be put together and, due to the restricted set of supporters to the statement, it failed to demonstrate a Europe aligned in purpose.

"Were there a joint declaration from all 27 EU partners, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's control, that would have conveyed a strong warning to Washington," stated a EU defense analyst.

Consider the paradox at hand at the Paris summit. Numerous EU national and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are attempting to involve the Trump administration in safeguarding the future autonomy of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an external actor (Russia), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela militarily, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to openly challenging the autonomy of a further European nation (Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both members of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Danish officials, exceptionally strong partners. At least, they were.

The issue is, if Trump were to make good on his desire to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a profound challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his determination to dominate the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of a military seizure.

On Sunday that the landmass is "so strategic right now, it is patrolled by Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of national security and Copenhagen is incapable to handle it".

Denmark strongly denies that last statement. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in the island's defense for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a treaty, the US maintains a military base currently on the island – established at the start of the Cold War. It has reduced the total of staff there from around 10,000 during peak the confrontation to about 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting Arctic Security, until now.

Copenhagen has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US footprint on the territory and further cooperation but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

In the wake of the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders in Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just underlined – yet again – Europe's basic vulnerability {