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This very day, a so-called Coalition of the Committed, mostly consisting of European heads of state, convened in the French capital with representatives of President Trump, attempting to achieve more advances on a sustainable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a framework to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", not a single person in that room desired to endanger retaining the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that opulent and luxurious gathering, and the fundamental mood was exceptionally uneasy.

Recall the events of the recent days: the Trump administration's divisive intervention in Venezuela and the American leader's declaration soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

Greenland is the world's greatest island – it's six times the area of Germany. It is located in the Arctic but is an semi-independent region of Copenhagen.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two influential figures acting for Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from her EU allies to avoid alienating the US over the Arctic question, lest that impacts US support for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have far preferred to separate the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on Ukraine apart. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big European nations at the Paris meeting put out a declaration stating: "Greenland is part of the alliance. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be attained jointly, in conjunction with alliance members such as the America".

"The decision is for Denmark and Greenland, and no one else, to decide on issues regarding the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the statement further stated.

The announcement was greeted by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was slow to be put together and, owing to the limited set of signatories to the statement, it failed to project a European Union in agreement in intent.

"If there had been a joint statement from all 27 European Union countries, along with alliance partner the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have conveyed a strong message to the US," stated a EU defense analyst.

Reflect on the contradiction at play at the Paris summit. Multiple EU government and other leaders, such as NATO and the EU, are trying to involve the Trump administration in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the aggressive land claims of an foreign power (Moscow), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also still actively threatening the sovereignty of another EU member (Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, according to Danish officials, extremely strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, were Trump to act upon his ambition to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a profound crisis for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his resolve to acquire Greenland. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also refused to rule out a military seizure.

Recently that the island is "so strategic right now, it is patrolled by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is unable to handle it".

Denmark contests that claim. It has lately committed to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US maintains a defense installation currently on the island – set up at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has cut the figure of troops there from about 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of taking its eye off polar defense, recently.

Copenhagen has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US presence on the island and additional measures but faced with the US President's threat of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

In the wake of the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges across Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just emphasized – once again – Europe's core shortcoming {