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Earlier today, a self-styled Group of the Willing, largely composed of European heads of state, convened in the French capital with envoys of the Trump administration, aiming to achieve additional headway on a lasting peace deal for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to end the war with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that meeting wished to risk keeping the Washington involved.

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

Recall the events of the past week: the White House's divisive incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's assertion shortly thereafter, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's biggest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was sitting facing two powerful personalities representing Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to avoid provoking the US over Greenland, in case that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have greatly desired to separate Greenland and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the political temperature mounting from the White House and Copenhagen, representatives of big states at the gathering released a communiqué saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved together, in conjunction with treaty partners like the United States".

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

The communique was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was tardy to be formulated and, because of the small group of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to demonstrate a Europe united in objective.

"Had there been a unified position from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish control, that would have delivered a powerful message to the US," commented a European defense expert.

Reflect on the contradiction at hand at the France meeting. Multiple European government and other officials, from the alliance and the European Union, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in protecting the future sovereignty of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the expansionist territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Russia), on the heels of the US has swooped into independent Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also persistently openly threatening the sovereignty of a different continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, profoundly close allies. Or were.

The question is, if Trump were to make good on his desire to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a major crisis for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is far from the first instance President Trump has voiced his resolve to dominate Greenland. He's suggested buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of taking it by force.

He insisted that the landmass is "so strategic right now, Greenland is covered with foreign ships all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests and Denmark is unable to do it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that claim. It recently committed to allocate $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation presently on the island – set up at the beginning of the Cold War. It has reduced the total of personnel there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking Arctic Security, until now.

Denmark has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a larger US footprint on the island and further cooperation but faced with the US President's warning of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to take Greenland should be treated with gravity.

After the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just highlighted – once again – Europe's basic weakness {