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This very day, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, mostly composed of European leaders, met in the French capital with representatives of US President Donald Trump, hoping to achieve additional progress on a durable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to halt the war with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that room desired to risk maintaining the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an colossal glaring omission in that opulent and glittering summit, and the prevailing atmosphere was profoundly tense.

Consider the actions of the past week: the White House's divisive intervention in Venezuela and the President Trump's insistence following this, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's biggest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting opposite two key individuals representing Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU allies not to alienating the US over Greenland, lest that affects US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to keep the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Copenhagen, representatives of leading European nations at the gathering put out a declaration stating: "The island is part of NATO. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be secured together, in conjunction with NATO allies including the America".

"It is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters regarding Denmark and its autonomous territory," the communiqué added.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was tardy to be put together and, owing to the restricted set of supporters to the statement, it was unable to demonstrate a Europe in agreement in intent.

"If there had been a common statement from all 27 European Union countries, plus alliance partner the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have conveyed a powerful signal to Washington," stated a EU defense expert.

Reflect on the irony at hand at the France meeting. Numerous EU national and other leaders, including the alliance and the European Union, are trying to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a continental state (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an outside force (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela militarily, detaining its leader, while also still actively undermining the territorial integrity of another continental ally (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally close allies. Or were.

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

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is far from the first instance Trump has spoken of his resolve to control the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

On Sunday that the territory is "vitally important right now, Greenland is frequented by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests and Denmark is unable to do it".

Copenhagen refutes that claim. It has lately pledged to invest $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a mutual pact, the US has a military base already on the island – established at the onset of the Cold War. It has scaled down the number of troops there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of neglecting the northern theater, recently.

Copenhagen has suggested it is willing to talk about a expanded US footprint on the territory and further cooperation but in light of the US President's threat of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Washington's desire to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just underlined – once again – Europe's basic weakness {