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Earlier today, a self-styled Coalition of the Committed, predominantly composed of European heads of state, met in the French capital with representatives of the Trump administration, hoping to make more advances on a lasting peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a plan to end the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that meeting desired to endanger keeping the US engaged.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that impressive and sparkling gathering, and the underlying mood was profoundly strained.

Bear in mind the events of the last few days: the Trump administration's divisive incursion in Venezuela and the US president's declaration shortly thereafter, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's 600% the size of Germany. It is located in the Arctic region but is an self-governing region of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was seated facing two key figures acting for Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU allies to avoid provoking the US over the Greenland issue, in case that affects US support for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have far preferred to keep the Arctic dispute and the discussions on the war separate. But with the tensions rising from the White House and Denmark, leaders of leading EU countries at the talks put out a declaration asserting: "Greenland is part of NATO. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with treaty partners including the US".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to rule on issues regarding Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué added.

The communique was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was tardy to be formulated and, because of the restricted group of endorsers to the statement, it failed to project a Europe aligned in purpose.

"Had there been a common position from all 27 member states, along with NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have delivered a powerful message to America," commented a European foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the contradiction at work at the France meeting. Multiple European national and other officials, including the alliance and the European Union, are seeking to involve the Trump administration in guaranteeing the future sovereignty of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the expansionist territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), just after the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela militarily, taking its president into custody, while also still publicly undermining the territorial integrity of a further European nation (the Kingdom of 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, as stated by Danish officials, exceptionally close allies. At least, they were.

The issue is, were Trump to act upon his desire to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not the first time Trump has expressed his determination to acquire the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of taking it by force.

Recently that the territory is "vitally important right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Denmark is not going to be able to provide security".

Copenhagen contests that claim. It has lately committed to spend $4bn in Greenland defence including boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US has a military base currently on the island – set up at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of staff there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to around 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting Arctic Security, up to this point.

Denmark has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US footprint on the territory and more but confronted by 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 treated with gravity.

In the wake of the American intervention in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges in Europe are taking it seriously.

"These developments has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – the EU's fundamental vulnerability {