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Earlier today, a so-called Group of the Willing, largely made up of European heads of state, convened in Paris with envoys of the Trump administration, aiming to secure further headway on a lasting peace deal for the embattled nation.

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

Yet, there was an enormous glaring omission in that grand and luxurious Paris meeting, and the fundamental mood was extremely strained.

Consider the actions of the past week: the US administration's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's insistence following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's greatest island – it's six times the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic but is an autonomous possession of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was seated across from two key individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from her EU colleagues to refrain from provoking the US over the Greenland issue, lest that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to keep Greenland and the debate on Ukraine apart. But with the tensions mounting from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big states at the gathering put out a communiqué stating: "The island is part of NATO. Security in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in cooperation with treaty partners such as the US".

"The decision is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland," the statement further stated.

The statement was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was slow to be drafted and, because of the restricted number of signatories to the statement, it failed to demonstrate a Europe united in intent.

"If there had been a joint declaration from all 27 EU partners, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have conveyed a powerful message to Washington," stated a European defense specialist.

Reflect on the paradox at play at the Paris summit. Multiple EU government and other officials, from the alliance and the EU, are seeking to engage the US administration in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the expansionist land claims of an foreign power (Russia), on the heels of the US has entered sovereign Venezuela militarily, arresting its head of state, while also still openly undermining the sovereignty of another EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both participants of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, profoundly close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to fulfill his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it constitute not just an existential threat to NATO but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has expressed his intention to acquire Greenland. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

He insisted that the island is "vitally important right now, Greenland is frequented by Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Copenhagen is unable to do it".

Denmark strongly denies that claim. It not long ago pledged to allocate $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation already on Greenland – founded at the beginning of the Cold War. It has cut the figure of personnel there from about 10,000 during the height of that era to around 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking polar defense, until now.

Copenhagen has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US footprint on the territory and additional measures but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to control Greenland should be treated with gravity.

After the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders in Europe are taking it seriously.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – for the umpteenth time – the EU's core vulnerability {