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Earlier today, a informal Group of the Committed, predominantly made up of EU heads of state, met in Paris with delegates of the Trump administration, attempting to achieve further advances on a durable settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", not a single person in that room desired to jeopardise maintaining the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that impressive and sparkling summit, and the underlying mood was exceptionally strained.

Recall the actions of the past week: the US administration's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the President Trump's assertion soon after, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting facing two key figures speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European counterparts to avoid alienating the US over the Greenland issue, lest that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have greatly desired to keep Greenland and the discussions on the war separate. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Denmark, representatives of major states at the gathering issued a declaration asserting: "The island is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be achieved jointly, in partnership with treaty partners including the US".

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

The communique was received positively by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was delayed to be formulated and, owing to the limited group of endorsers to the statement, it failed to project a European Union united in intent.

"Had there been a common position from all 27 member states, plus NATO ally the UK, in support of Danish sovereignty, that would have delivered a powerful signal to the US," noted a European defense analyst.

Reflect on the paradox at play at the Paris summit. Multiple EU national and other officials, from NATO and the European Union, are attempting to secure the cooperation of the White House in protecting the future sovereignty of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile geopolitical designs of an foreign power (Russia), on the heels of the US has intervened in independent Venezuela militarily, detaining its leader, while also persistently openly undermining the territorial integrity of another European nation (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, profoundly strong partners. Previously, they were considered so.

The question is, should Trump make good on his goal to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a significant problem for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has voiced his determination to acquire the Arctic island. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the territory is "so strategic right now, Greenland is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the vantage point of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to handle it".

Denmark strongly denies that claim. It not long ago pledged to invest $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a treaty, the US operates a defense installation currently on Greenland – founded at the start of the East-West standoff. It has reduced the total of staff there from about 10,000 during peak that era to approximately 200 and the US has long been accused of neglecting polar defense, until now.

Copenhagen has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a larger US role on the island and additional measures but in light of the US President's assertion of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges across Europe are doing just that.

"These developments has just highlighted – for the umpteenth time – the EU's fundamental weakness {