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This very day, a self-styled Group of the Willing, mostly consisting of European heads of state, gathered in Paris with envoys of the Trump administration, attempting to achieve further progress on a sustainable peace deal for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to end the hostilities with Russia is "90% of the way there", no-one in that meeting desired to jeopardise keeping the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that opulent and sparkling Paris meeting, and the prevailing tension was profoundly strained.

Consider the developments of the last few days: the US administration's contentious intervention in the South American nation and the President Trump's assertion soon after, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's biggest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an semi-independent territory of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned across from two key figures speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European allies to refrain from alienating the US over the Arctic question, in case that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have greatly desired to keep the Arctic dispute and the debate on the war separate. But with the diplomatic heat rising from the White House and Copenhagen, representatives of big European nations at the talks issued a communiqué saying: "The island is part of NATO. Security in the North must therefore be achieved collectively, in partnership with alliance members such as the America".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and no one else, to determine on issues regarding Denmark and Greenland," the statement added.

The statement was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was tardy to be put together and, because of the small set of endorsers to the declaration, it did not manage to demonstrate a Europe aligned in objective.

"If there had been a common declaration from all 27 EU partners, plus NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have sent a strong message to Washington," stated a EU defense expert.

Reflect on the paradox at hand at the Paris summit. Several European government and other officials, including NATO and the European Union, are trying to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the aggressive geopolitical designs of an external actor (Russia), just after the US has swooped into independent Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to openly challenging the autonomy of another EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both members 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, if Trump were to make good on his goal to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance Trump has spoken of his intention to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

Recently that the island is "crucially located right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Copenhagen is unable to handle it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that last statement. It recently committed to allocate $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a treaty, the US has a strategic outpost presently on Greenland – established at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the total of personnel there from approximately 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of taking its eye off the northern theater, recently.

Copenhagen has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US role on the territory and further cooperation but faced with the US President's assertion of unilateral action, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

After the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges across Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just emphasized – for the umpteenth time – Europe's core shortcoming {