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Just this morning, a self-styled Group of the Willing, mostly consisting of European heads of state, convened in the French capital with representatives of the Trump administration, hoping to achieve additional advances on a sustainable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a framework to halt the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that meeting wanted to risk retaining the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an enormous unspoken issue in that opulent and glittering Paris meeting, and the underlying atmosphere was extremely uneasy.

Recall the actions of the last few days: the Trump administration's divisive incursion in the South American nation and the President Trump's insistence soon after, that "we need Greenland from the viewpoint of national security".

Greenland is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic region but is an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was sitting across from two powerful individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European allies not to provoking the US over the Arctic question, for fear that that affects US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to separate the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war distinct. But with the diplomatic heat mounting from Washington and Copenhagen, representatives of leading states at the Paris meeting released a declaration asserting: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in cooperation with NATO allies including the US".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to determine on matters related to the kingdom and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The announcement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was delayed to be formulated and, due to the small set of signatories to the statement, it did not manage to show a Europe united in purpose.

"Were there a joint statement from all 27 EU partners, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in defense of Danish sovereignty, that would have sent a resounding signal to the US," stated a European defense specialist.

Ponder the paradox at work at the France meeting. Multiple European national and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are seeking to engage the Trump administration in protecting the future independence of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an external actor (Russia), just after the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to openly threatening the sovereignty of a further continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, according to Copenhagen, exceptionally key friends. Or were.

The question is, should Trump make good on his goal to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a significant crisis for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has voiced his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's proposed acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

He insisted that the landmass is "crucially located right now, it is covered with Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Denmark is incapable to provide security".

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

Pursuant to a treaty, the US operates a strategic outpost presently on the island – founded at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has cut the total of troops there from about 10,000 during peak that era to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking polar defense, recently.

Denmark has signaled it is amenable to dialogue 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 Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts in Europe are doing just that.

"These developments has just emphasized – once again – the EU's fundamental vulnerability {