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Just this morning, a self-styled Coalition of the Determined, largely made up of EU officials, convened in the French capital with envoys of President Trump, hoping to secure further headway on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to conclude the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", no-one in that room wanted to endanger retaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense elephant in the room in that grand and glittering Paris meeting, and the prevailing mood was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the developments of the past week: the US administration's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's declaration shortly thereafter, that "our national security requires Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

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

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned facing two powerful figures acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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

The continent's officials would have far preferred to keep Greenland and the discussions on the war separate. But with the tensions mounting from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big states at the gathering issued a communiqué asserting: "This territory is part of the alliance. Stability in the North must therefore be attained together, in conjunction with NATO allies like the US".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to decide on affairs regarding Denmark and Greenland," the statement further stated.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was tardy to be put together and, due to the limited set of supporters to the declaration, it did not manage to demonstrate a Europe in agreement in objective.

"Were there a common statement from all 27 European Union countries, along with alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish control, that would have sent a powerful warning to America," stated a EU defense analyst.

Reflect on the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Numerous European government and other leaders, including NATO and the EU, are attempting to engage the Trump administration in protecting the future autonomy of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Russia), on the heels of the US has entered sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also continuing to openly challenging the territorial integrity of a different EU member (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, if Trump were to fulfill his desire to assert control over the island, would it constitute not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has expressed his determination to control the Arctic island. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

On Sunday that the landmass is "vitally important right now, it is covered with foreign vessels all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Copenhagen is not going to be able to handle it".

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

Pursuant to a treaty, the US operates a military base presently on Greenland – established at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has cut the total of troops there from around 10,000 during peak the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of taking its eye off the northern theater, recently.

Copenhagen has signaled it is open to discussion about a bigger US footprint on the island and additional measures but confronted by the US President's threat of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

Following the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges across Europe are taking it seriously.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – for the umpteenth time – the EU's basic weakness {