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This very day, a informal Alliance of the Determined, largely made up of EU heads of state, met in the French capital with envoys of US President Donald Trump, attempting to make more progress on a sustainable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to end the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that room wanted to jeopardise maintaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense elephant in the room in that opulent and sparkling summit, and the fundamental tension was exceptionally uneasy.

Recall the events of the recent days: the White House's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's declaration soon after, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's largest island – it's sixfold the size of Germany. It is located in the Arctic but is an self-governing region of Copenhagen.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned across from two powerful individuals representing Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European colleagues not to alienating the US over Greenland, in case that undermines US support for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have much rather to separate the Arctic dispute and the debate on Ukraine separate. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Copenhagen, leaders of leading EU countries at the Paris meeting issued a communiqué stating: "The island is part of the alliance. Defense in the North must therefore be achieved jointly, in partnership with NATO allies including the America".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and Greenland, and no one else, to rule on matters regarding the kingdom and Greenland," the declaration continued.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was tardy to be formulated and, owing to the small group of supporters to the declaration, it did not manage to project a European Union in agreement in objective.

"Had there been a joint declaration from all 27 member states, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish authority, that would have sent a powerful message to Washington," commented a European foreign policy specialist.

Ponder the irony at work at the Paris summit. Numerous European national and other leaders, from NATO and the EU, are trying to secure the cooperation of the White House in guaranteeing the future independence of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an outside force (Russia), on the heels of the US has entered sovereign Venezuela with force, taking its president into custody, while also persistently publicly challenging the autonomy of a different European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, according to Copenhagen, extremely close allies. Or were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to fulfill his desire to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

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 floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also refused to rule out taking it by force.

On Sunday that the island is "crucially located right now, it is covered with Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Denmark is not going to be able to provide security".

Copenhagen strongly denies that assertion. It recently pledged to allocate $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a mutual pact, the US operates a defense installation already on the island – founded at the start of the Cold War. It has cut the number of troops there from about 10,000 during peak that era to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking the northern theater, until now.

Copenhagen has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US footprint on the island and more but confronted by the US President's threat of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges across Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just highlighted – yet again – the EU's core weakness {