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This very day, a informal Alliance of the Willing, mostly made up of EU heads of state, convened in the French capital with representatives of the Trump administration, attempting to make further headway on a sustainable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to end the conflict with Russia is "largely complete", nobody in that gathering desired to jeopardise keeping the US involved.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that grand and glittering Paris meeting, and the prevailing atmosphere was exceptionally strained.

Recall the developments of the last few days: the White House's divisive intervention in the South American nation and the US president's insistence following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's six times the size of Germany. It is located in the Arctic region but is an self-governing territory of Denmark's.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting facing two key figures representing Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European colleagues to avoid alienating the US over the Arctic question, in case that affects US support for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war distinct. But with the political temperature rising from the White House and Denmark, leaders of leading European nations at the Paris meeting released a communiqué asserting: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be attained together, in cooperation with NATO allies such as the United States".

"It is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and no one else, to rule on affairs concerning the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the communiqué added.

The communique was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was delayed to be formulated and, due to the restricted group of endorsers to the statement, it failed to project a Europe in agreement in objective.

"If there had been a joint declaration from all 27 European Union countries, plus alliance partner the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's control, that would have sent a strong warning to Washington," commented a European foreign policy specialist.

Reflect on the contradiction at hand at the European gathering. Multiple EU government and other leaders, including NATO and the European Union, are trying to engage the US administration in protecting the future sovereignty of a European country (Ukraine) against the expansionist territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), on the heels of the US has entered independent Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also continuing to openly challenging the autonomy of a further continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both participants of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The question is, were Trump to make good on his ambition to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a major problem for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident Trump has expressed his resolve to acquire the Arctic island. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also refused to rule out a military seizure.

Recently that the island is "crucially located right now, it is covered with foreign vessels all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Copenhagen is not going to be able to handle it".

Copenhagen refutes that last statement. It not long ago committed to invest $4bn in Arctic security including boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation already on Greenland – set up at the beginning of the Cold War. It has scaled down the figure of troops there from about 10,000 during the height of that era to about 200 and the US has long been accused of overlooking the northern theater, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US footprint on the island and more but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

Following the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders across Europe are doing just that.

"This whole situation has just emphasized – once again – Europe's fundamental weakness {