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Earlier today, a informal Coalition of the Determined, mostly made up of European leaders, convened in the French capital with representatives of US President Donald Trump, hoping to secure additional progress on a durable settlement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a roadmap to halt the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", nobody in that meeting wanted to jeopardise keeping the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an colossal glaring omission in that impressive and sparkling gathering, and the prevailing mood was extremely strained.

Consider the events of the past week: the Trump administration's contentious intervention in Venezuela and the American leader's insistence soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of defense".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic but is an autonomous territory of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned opposite two powerful individuals representing Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European allies to avoid alienating the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that affects US assistance for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have greatly desired to keep Greenland and the debate on Ukraine distinct. But with the tensions rising from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big European nations at the talks put out a communiqué stating: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be secured together, in partnership with treaty partners including the United States".

"It is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them only, to determine on affairs regarding the kingdom and Greenland," the statement added.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was tardy to be drafted and, due to the small set of signatories to the declaration, it failed to demonstrate a European Union aligned in intent.

"Had there been a common position from all 27 EU partners, along with NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have sent a powerful message to America," noted a European foreign policy analyst.

Consider the paradox at play at the France meeting. Numerous European government and other leaders, from NATO and the EU, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future independence of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the expansionist land claims of an outside force (Russia), immediately after the US has entered sovereign Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to publicly undermining the sovereignty of a further EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, extremely key friends. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, should Trump make good on his goal to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a profound crisis for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not the first time President Trump has expressed his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the territory is "vitally important right now, it is frequented by foreign naval assets all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the vantage point of national security and Copenhagen is not going to be able to provide security".

Denmark strongly denies that assertion. It has lately vowed to spend $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a treaty, the US operates a defense installation already on the island – founded at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has cut the total of staff there from around 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking the northern theater, until now.

Denmark has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US presence on the territory and further cooperation but faced with the US President's assertion of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that Washington's desire to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her counterparts throughout Europe are doing just that.

"The current crisis has just highlighted – yet again – Europe's core weakness {