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Just this morning, a self-styled Group of the Committed, largely made up of European leaders, gathered in the French capital with representatives of the Trump administration, aiming to make additional advances on a durable settlement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that room wished to endanger maintaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious Paris meeting, and the fundamental mood was exceptionally uneasy.

Bear in mind the events of the recent days: the Trump administration's contentious intervention in Venezuela and the US president's insistence following this, that "we need Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests".

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

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting facing two key figures acting for Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European colleagues not to antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, in case that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to separate Greenland and the discussions on the war apart. But with the tensions mounting from Washington and Denmark, leaders of big states at the gathering released a communiqué stating: "Greenland is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved together, in cooperation with treaty partners like the United States".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on issues related to Denmark and Greenland," the statement further stated.

The statement was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was tardy to be drafted and, owing to the restricted set of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to demonstrate a European Union united in intent.

"If there had been a unified declaration from all 27 member states, plus alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish control, that would have sent a resounding signal to the US," commented a EU defense expert.

Reflect on the paradox at hand at the France meeting. Several European government and other leaders, including the alliance and the EU, are seeking to engage the White House in safeguarding the future independence of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), immediately after the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela militarily, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to openly threatening the sovereignty of a different continental ally (Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, profoundly close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, should Trump make good on his goal to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a profound problem for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is far from the first instance Trump has voiced his resolve to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of buying it in the past. He's also not excluded taking it by force.

Recently that the island is "crucially located right now, Greenland is patrolled by foreign naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests and Denmark is incapable to do it".

Denmark refutes that last statement. It recently pledged to allocate $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US has a military base currently on the island – established at the start of the Cold War. It has cut the number of staff there from about 10,000 during peak that era to around 200 and the US has long been accused of taking its eye off the northern theater, up to this point.

Denmark has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US footprint on the island and more but confronted by the US President's warning of unilateral action, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

Following the American intervention in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges in Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – once again – Europe's basic weakness {