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This very day, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, mostly consisting of European leaders, convened in the French capital with delegates of President Trump, attempting to make further headway on a sustainable settlement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to conclude the conflict with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that meeting desired to risk maintaining the Washington engaged.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that grand and sparkling gathering, and the prevailing tension was exceptionally tense.

Consider the actions of the past week: the Trump administration's controversial intervention in the South American nation and the President Trump's insistence soon after, that "we need Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

Greenland is the world's biggest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It is located in the far north but is an self-governing region of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was seated across from two influential individuals acting for Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU allies to refrain from antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that affects US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to compartmentalize the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war separate. But with the diplomatic heat mounting from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big EU countries at the Paris meeting released a communiqué stating: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be secured collectively, in conjunction with treaty partners such as the America".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to rule on matters related to Denmark and Greenland," the statement added.

The announcement was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was tardy to be formulated and, because of the small group of endorsers to the declaration, it failed to show a Europe in agreement in intent.

"Were there a unified declaration from all 27 European Union countries, along with alliance partner the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have sent a resounding message to Washington," stated a European foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the irony at hand at the European gathering. Several European national and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are seeking to engage the US administration in protecting the future sovereignty of a continental state (Ukraine) against the aggressive geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Moscow), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela with force, detaining its leader, while also still publicly undermining the sovereignty of a further European nation (Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, profoundly key friends. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, should Trump make good on his ambition to acquire Greenland, 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 Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has expressed his intention to acquire Greenland. He's proposed acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the landmass is "vitally important right now, Greenland is patrolled by Russian and Chinese vessels 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 contests that claim. It recently pledged to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US operates a military base currently on the island – established at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has cut the figure of troops there from approximately 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to around 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting the northern theater, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US presence on the island and additional measures but confronted by the US President's assertion of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Trump's ambition to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

Following the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders across Europe are taking it seriously.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – once again – the EU's basic shortcoming {