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This very day, a informal Group of the Willing, mostly composed of European heads of state, convened in the French capital with delegates of the Trump administration, hoping to make further headway on a durable peace deal for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to end the conflict with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that room desired to risk retaining the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that grand and luxurious gathering, and the underlying tension was exceptionally strained.

Bear in mind the events of the last few days: the US administration's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the US president's insistence following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's six times the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the far north but is an autonomous possession of Copenhagen.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was sitting across from two powerful individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU colleagues not to antagonising the US over Greenland, in case that affects US support for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to separate the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on Ukraine distinct. But with the tensions mounting from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of leading EU countries at the gathering issued a statement asserting: "The island is part of NATO. Defense in the North must therefore be attained collectively, in conjunction with alliance members such as the United States".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to determine on issues related to the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the declaration added.

The statement was welcomed by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was delayed to be put together and, due to the small number of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to demonstrate a Europe in agreement in purpose.

"If there had been a unified position from all 27 EU partners, plus alliance partner the UK, in defense of Danish authority, that would have conveyed a resounding signal to America," commented a European foreign policy specialist.

Consider the paradox at hand at the European gathering. Numerous European national and other officials, including NATO and the EU, are attempting to involve the Trump administration in protecting the future independence of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an outside force (Moscow), immediately after the US has entered independent Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also persistently openly threatening the autonomy of a further EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both members of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally key friends. At least, they were.

The issue is, should Trump act upon his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it represent not just an severe risk to NATO but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not the first time Trump has spoken of his intention to acquire Greenland. He's proposed acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded forcible annexation.

Recently that the territory is "crucially located right now, Greenland is frequented by foreign naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Copenhagen is unable to do it".

Denmark contests that claim. It has lately pledged to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a treaty, the US maintains a strategic outpost presently on the island – established at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of troops there from approximately 10,000 during the height of Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of taking its eye off polar defense, until now.

Copenhagen has indicated it is amenable to dialogue about a larger US role on the territory and further cooperation but in light of the US President's warning of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges in Europe are taking it seriously.

"The current crisis has just underlined – yet again – Europe's basic weakness {