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Just this morning, a so-called Group of the Willing, largely composed of European heads of state, met in the French capital with envoys of the Trump administration, hoping to make additional progress on a lasting peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to conclude the war with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that gathering desired to endanger keeping the Washington engaged.

Yet, there was an enormous unspoken issue in that opulent and luxurious summit, and the underlying tension was exceptionally tense.

Recall the developments of the past week: the US administration's divisive incursion in the South American nation and the President Trump's declaration following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the perspective of national security".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two key personalities speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU allies to avoid provoking the US over Greenland, for fear that that undermines US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have far preferred to separate the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the diplomatic heat mounting from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of leading states at the gathering put out a communiqué asserting: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be attained together, in cooperation with treaty partners including the America".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to decide on affairs concerning Denmark and its autonomous territory," the declaration further stated.

The communique was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was slow to be put together and, due to the limited group of supporters to the statement, it was unable to demonstrate a Europe aligned in purpose.

"If there had been a common statement from all 27 EU partners, plus alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish sovereignty, that would have delivered a powerful warning to the US," commented a EU foreign policy expert.

Ponder the paradox at work at the European gathering. Several European government and other leaders, including the alliance and the EU, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Moscow), just after the US has entered sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to publicly threatening the sovereignty of a different European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, extremely strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The question is, should Trump act upon his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a profound challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident Trump has voiced his resolve to control the Arctic island. He's proposed purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the island is "vitally important right now, it is patrolled by Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Denmark is not going to be able to provide security".

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

As per a mutual pact, the US operates a defense installation currently on Greenland – founded at the start of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of staff there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to around 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has indicated it is open to discussion about a larger US role on the island and more but confronted by the US President's warning of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her counterparts throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – yet again – the EU's core vulnerability {