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This very day, a so-called Alliance of the Willing, largely consisting of EU heads of state, convened in the French capital with envoys of the Trump administration, aiming to make further progress on a sustainable peace deal for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to conclude the conflict with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that gathering desired to risk retaining the US engaged.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that opulent and luxurious gathering, and the fundamental mood was profoundly tense.

Consider the actions of the past week: the US administration's divisive intervention in Venezuela and the American leader's assertion following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the perspective of defense".

This massive island is the world's greatest island – it's six times the dimensions of Germany. It is located in the Arctic but is an self-governing territory of Denmark's.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was seated opposite two powerful figures speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from her EU counterparts to avoid provoking the US over Greenland, in case that undermines US assistance for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to compartmentalize Greenland and the negotiations on Ukraine separate. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Denmark, representatives of leading EU countries at the gathering released a communiqué saying: "This territory is part of NATO. Defense in the North must therefore be achieved collectively, in cooperation with NATO allies like the US".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and no one else, to determine on issues related to the kingdom and Greenland," the communiqué further stated.

The statement was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was slow to be drafted and, owing to the limited number of signatories to the statement, it was unable to show a European Union in agreement in purpose.

"If there had been a unified statement from all 27 European Union countries, along with NATO ally the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's control, that would have delivered a powerful message to the US," commented a EU foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the irony at work at the Paris summit. Multiple European national and other officials, from the alliance and the EU, are trying to involve the Trump administration in safeguarding the future independence of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the expansionist land claims of an outside force (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also persistently openly threatening the autonomy of another EU member (Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Danish officials, profoundly strong partners. Or were.

The dilemma is, should Trump act upon his goal to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an severe risk to NATO but also a major problem for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not an isolated incident Trump has voiced his determination to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also refused to rule out forcible annexation.

Recently that the territory is "crucially located right now, Greenland is patrolled by Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of national security and Copenhagen is not going to be able to handle it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that last statement. It not long ago committed to invest $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a treaty, the US has a military base already on the island – set up at the onset of the Cold War. It has cut the number of staff there from about 10,000 during the height of Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking the northern theater, recently.

Denmark has signaled it is willing to talk about a larger US footprint on the territory and additional measures but confronted by the US President's assertion of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges throughout Europe are doing just that.

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