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Earlier today, a so-called Group of the Determined, predominantly made up of European leaders, convened in the French capital with envoys of US President Donald Trump, aiming to achieve additional headway on a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a plan to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that meeting wanted to endanger maintaining the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious summit, and the underlying atmosphere was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the developments of the past week: the Trump administration's divisive incursion in Venezuela and the American leader's declaration following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

Greenland is the world's biggest island – it's six times the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an semi-independent territory of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was sitting facing two powerful figures representing Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from her EU counterparts not to provoking the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that undermines US support for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have greatly desired to keep Greenland and the debate on the war distinct. But with the tensions mounting from Washington and Copenhagen, representatives of leading states at the Paris meeting issued a declaration stating: "The island is part of the alliance. Stability in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in conjunction with NATO allies such as the United States".

"The decision is for Denmark and Greenland, and them alone, to rule on issues regarding Denmark and its autonomous territory," the statement added.

The communique was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts say it was delayed to be formulated and, owing to the restricted set of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to project a Europe aligned in purpose.

"Were there a common position from all 27 EU partners, along with alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish control, that would have sent a resounding message to Washington," noted a EU defense specialist.

Ponder the paradox at play at the France meeting. Several EU government and other officials, from the alliance and the EU, are trying to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future sovereignty of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive land claims of an external actor (Moscow), just after the US has entered independent Venezuela with force, detaining its leader, while also still publicly challenging the autonomy of a different EU member (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Danish officials, profoundly close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The question is, were Trump to make good on his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it represent not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a profound challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his intention to acquire Greenland. He's proposed buying it in the past. He's also refused to rule out forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the island is "vitally important right now, it is frequented by foreign ships all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests and Copenhagen is unable to do it".

Copenhagen refutes that last statement. It has lately vowed to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence including boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US operates a strategic outpost already on Greenland – established at the beginning of the Cold War. It has cut the total of personnel there from about 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking the northern theater, until now.

Copenhagen has indicated it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US footprint on the island and additional measures but in light of the US President's warning of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders in Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – once again – Europe's basic shortcoming {