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Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, largely made up of EU heads of state, met in the French capital with representatives of US President Donald Trump, attempting to secure additional headway on a sustainable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to end the war with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that meeting desired to endanger retaining the US involved.

Yet, there was an colossal glaring omission in that impressive and luxurious summit, and the fundamental tension was exceptionally tense.

Consider the developments of the recent days: the White House's contentious incursion in Venezuela and the President Trump's declaration following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It is located in the far north but is an self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was sitting across from two key figures acting for Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to avoid antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, in case that impacts US support for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to separate the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of big EU countries at the gathering released a statement asserting: "This territory is part of NATO. Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved jointly, in cooperation with alliance members such as the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to determine on issues concerning the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the communiqué continued.

The announcement was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was delayed to be put together and, because of the restricted number of signatories to the declaration, it was unable to project a European Union aligned in intent.

"Had there been a unified declaration from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in defense of Danish control, that would have conveyed a resounding warning to the US," commented a EU foreign policy specialist.

Ponder the contradiction at play at the Paris summit. Multiple European government and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are attempting to engage the White House in protecting the future independence of a European country (Ukraine) against the aggressive geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Moscow), immediately after the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also persistently actively threatening the autonomy of a different European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the defensive pact NATO. They are, according to Danish officials, extremely key friends. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to act upon his goal to bring Greenland under US control, would it constitute not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a profound challenge for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his intention to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of a military seizure.

He insisted that the landmass is "vitally important right now, it is frequented by foreign vessels all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is unable to handle it".

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

Pursuant to a mutual pact, the US maintains a defense installation currently on Greenland – set up at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the total of staff there from about 10,000 during peak that era to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of taking its eye off polar defense, up to this point.

Denmark has signaled it is open to discussion about a expanded US presence on the territory and more but faced with the US President's threat of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

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

"These developments has just highlighted – yet again – the EU's basic vulnerability {