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Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Committed, predominantly made up of EU officials, convened in Paris with representatives of the Trump administration, aiming to achieve more headway on a durable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to end the conflict with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that gathering wished to risk maintaining the Americans engaged.

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

Recall the events of the recent days: the Trump administration's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the US president's assertion shortly thereafter, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of national security".

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 semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned across from two influential personalities representing Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts not to alienating the US over the Arctic question, lest that affects US support for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to compartmentalize the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war distinct. But with the tensions escalating from Washington and Copenhagen, leaders of leading states at the gathering released a statement stating: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be attained together, in conjunction with treaty partners such as the US".

"It is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and no one else, to decide on affairs related to Denmark and Greenland," the statement continued.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was delayed to be formulated and, due to the limited group of supporters to the declaration, it did not manage to project a Europe aligned in intent.

"Had there been a common statement from all 27 EU partners, plus NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have sent a resounding message to the US," commented a EU foreign policy expert.

Reflect on the contradiction at work at the European gathering. Numerous European government and other leaders, from NATO and the European Union, are attempting to engage the White House in protecting the future independence of a European country (Ukraine) against the expansionist territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to openly undermining the autonomy of another continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Danish officials, exceptionally key friends. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, were Trump to act upon his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it constitute not just an fundamental challenge to the alliance but also a profound problem for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance President Trump has voiced his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's proposed purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded taking it by force.

On Sunday that the territory is "so strategic right now, Greenland is patrolled by foreign naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Copenhagen is not going to be able to provide security".

Denmark strongly denies that claim. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in Arctic security for boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a mutual pact, the US maintains a defense installation presently on the island – founded at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has reduced the figure of personnel there from approximately 10,000 during peak the confrontation to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is willing to talk about a bigger US footprint on the territory and more but in light of the US President's assertion of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders in Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just underlined – once again – the EU's fundamental vulnerability {