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This very day, a informal Group of the Determined, predominantly composed of EU heads of state, met in the French capital with representatives of President Trump, attempting to make more progress on a durable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to end the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that room wanted to risk retaining the US onboard.

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

Recall the events of the last few days: the Trump administration's controversial incursion in the South American nation and the American leader's declaration following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

This massive island is the world's biggest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic but is an self-governing region of Copenhagen.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned facing two influential personalities speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European allies to avoid provoking the US over Greenland, for fear that that impacts US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to keep Greenland and the debate on the war separate. But with the political temperature mounting from the White House and Denmark, representatives of big European nations at the Paris meeting put out a communiqué asserting: "The island is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with treaty partners such as the America".

"The decision is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and no one else, to decide on affairs regarding Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué added.

The statement was welcomed by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was delayed to be put together and, because of the limited number of signatories to the declaration, it was unable to show a European Union in agreement in objective.

"Had there been a unified position from all 27 member states, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in support of Danish control, that would have delivered a resounding signal to Washington," noted a European defense analyst.

Reflect on the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Multiple European government and other leaders, such as the alliance and the EU, are seeking to engage the US administration in safeguarding the future autonomy of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an external actor (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, taking its president into custody, while also still openly undermining the territorial integrity of another EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact NATO. They are, as stated by Danish officials, profoundly strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, should Trump make good on his ambition to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a profound challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance Trump has expressed his resolve to dominate Greenland. He's suggested buying it in the past. He's also refused to rule out a military seizure.

Recently that the territory is "so strategic right now, it is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Copenhagen is unable to do it".

Denmark strongly denies that last statement. It recently pledged to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US has a military base currently on Greenland – founded at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of staff there from around 10,000 during peak that era to around 200 and the US has long been accused of taking its eye off polar defense, until now.

Copenhagen has suggested it is willing to talk about a expanded US footprint on the territory and more but in light of the US President's assertion of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

In the wake of the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders across Europe are heeding that warning.

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