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This very day, a so-called Alliance of the Determined, mostly made up of European leaders, gathered in Paris with envoys of President Trump, aiming to make more progress on a durable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to halt the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", not a single person in that room desired to jeopardise maintaining the Washington onboard.

Yet, there was an enormous glaring omission in that opulent and sparkling summit, and the prevailing atmosphere was profoundly uneasy.

Bear in mind the developments of the last few days: the US administration's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's insistence soon after, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic but is an semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was seated across from two powerful figures acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

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

EU heads of state would have greatly desired to compartmentalize Greenland and the negotiations on Ukraine apart. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big states at the gathering issued a statement saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be achieved together, in cooperation with treaty partners including the America".

"The decision is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to decide on issues related to the kingdom and Greenland," the statement added.

The statement was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was slow to be drafted and, due to the restricted group of signatories to the declaration, it failed to demonstrate a European Union united in intent.

"Were there a common statement from all 27 member states, along with NATO ally the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's authority, that would have sent a resounding message to the US," stated a European defense expert.

Ponder the contradiction at hand at the France meeting. Several European national and other officials, including the alliance and the European Union, are attempting to involve the White House in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a continental state (Ukraine) against the expansionist land claims of an external actor (Moscow), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also continuing to publicly undermining the territorial integrity of a further European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both participants of the defensive pact NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, extremely close allies. Or were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to act upon his goal to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident Trump has voiced his intention to control Greenland. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded taking it by force.

On Sunday that the island is "so strategic right now, it is frequented by Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Denmark is not going to be able to do it".

Denmark strongly denies that assertion. It recently committed to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation already on the island – set up at the onset of the Cold War. It has cut the figure of personnel there from around 10,000 during peak that era to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has indicated it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US role on the territory and more but faced with the US President's assertion of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her counterparts across Europe are taking it seriously.

"These developments has just emphasized – for the umpteenth time – Europe's basic vulnerability {