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This very day, a informal Coalition of the Committed, largely consisting of European officials, met in Paris with delegates of US President Donald Trump, aiming to secure more headway on a durable settlement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a framework to end the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that room desired to jeopardise keeping the Washington engaged.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that grand and glittering gathering, and the underlying atmosphere was extremely strained.

Recall the actions of the past week: the White House's controversial incursion in the South American nation and the US president's insistence soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

Greenland is the world's greatest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the Arctic but is an semi-independent possession of Denmark's.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was sitting facing two key personalities representing Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU colleagues not to provoking the US over the Arctic question, lest that affects US backing for Ukraine.

The continent's officials would have far preferred to keep the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the political temperature escalating from the White House and Copenhagen, representatives of major EU countries at the talks issued a declaration saying: "The island is part of NATO. Security in the Arctic must therefore be attained collectively, in conjunction with NATO allies such as the United States".

"It is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and no one else, to determine on issues concerning the kingdom and Greenland," the declaration added.

The statement was welcomed by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was delayed to be drafted and, because of the small number of supporters to the statement, it did not manage to project a European Union in agreement in intent.

"Had there been a joint statement from all 27 European Union countries, along with NATO ally the UK, in support of Danish authority, that would have conveyed a strong signal to the US," noted a European foreign policy specialist.

Ponder the irony at play at the France meeting. Multiple EU national and other leaders, such as NATO and the European Union, are trying to engage the White House in protecting the future independence of a European country (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an outside force (Russia), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela with force, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to openly undermining the sovereignty of a further continental ally (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact NATO. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, exceptionally strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, were Trump to make good on his ambition to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to the alliance but also a significant challenge for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

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

Recently that the landmass is "so strategic right now, Greenland is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the perspective of defense and Denmark is not going to be able to do it".

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

As per a mutual pact, the US has a strategic outpost presently on Greenland – set up at the beginning of the Cold War. It has reduced the total of personnel there from around 10,000 during the height of Cold War operations to about 200 and the US has long been accused of neglecting the northern theater, until now.

Denmark has signaled it is open to discussion about a bigger US role on the territory and further cooperation but in light of the US President's warning of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to control Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

Following the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just emphasized – once again – the EU's fundamental weakness {