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Just this morning, a self-styled Coalition of the Willing, predominantly composed of EU leaders, met in the French capital with envoys of US President Donald Trump, hoping to make more progress on a sustainable settlement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a roadmap to end the conflict with Russia is "nearly finalized", nobody in that gathering desired to endanger keeping the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that grand and glittering summit, and the prevailing mood was exceptionally strained.

Bear in mind the actions of the last few days: the White House's divisive incursion in the South American nation and the American leader's insistence shortly thereafter, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

Greenland is the world's largest island – it's six times the size of Germany. It lies in the far north but is an self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned across from two influential individuals acting for Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European counterparts not to provoking the US over the Greenland issue, lest that affects US support for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to separate the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on Ukraine separate. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from Washington and Denmark, representatives of leading EU countries at the gathering released a declaration asserting: "This territory is part of NATO. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be secured jointly, in partnership with NATO allies such as the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and no one else, to decide on affairs related to Denmark and its autonomous territory," the declaration added.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was slow to be put together and, due to the small number of endorsers to the declaration, it did not manage to project a Europe united in purpose.

"Had there been a joint position from all 27 European Union countries, along with NATO ally the UK, in backing of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have sent a strong message to Washington," commented a EU foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the contradiction at work at the Paris summit. Numerous European government and other officials, such as the alliance and the EU, are attempting to involve the White House in safeguarding the future independence of a continental state (Ukraine) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an outside force (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in independent Venezuela militarily, detaining its leader, while also continuing to actively undermining the sovereignty of a different continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both participants of the military bloc the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Danish officials, extremely strong partners. At least, they were.

The question is, were Trump to fulfill his ambition to assert control over the island, would it constitute not just an fundamental challenge to the alliance but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is far from the first instance President Trump has voiced his intention to dominate Greenland. He's floated the idea of buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

Recently that the island is "so strategic right now, Greenland is frequented by foreign vessels all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests and Denmark is incapable to do it".

Denmark refutes that assertion. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a mutual pact, the US maintains a defense installation presently on the island – founded at the start of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the number of personnel there from approximately 10,000 during the height of that era to around 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of neglecting the northern theater, until now.

Copenhagen has signaled it is open to discussion about a larger US presence on the island and more but faced with the US President's threat of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

In the wake of the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders throughout Europe are taking it seriously.

"This whole situation has just emphasized – yet again – Europe's basic weakness {