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This very day, a self-styled Group of the Committed, largely composed of EU leaders, gathered in Paris with delegates of US President Donald Trump, attempting to secure further progress on a sustainable peace agreement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a plan to halt the war with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that meeting wanted to endanger maintaining the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that grand and glittering summit, and the underlying atmosphere was exceptionally strained.

Bear in mind the events of the last few days: the White House's divisive intervention in the South American nation and the President Trump's assertion following this, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's largest island – it's six times the area of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was sitting facing two influential individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European counterparts to avoid antagonising the US over the Arctic question, for fear that that impacts US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have greatly desired to separate the Arctic dispute and the discussions on the war separate. But with the political temperature rising from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of leading EU countries at the Paris meeting issued a communiqué stating: "The island is part of the alliance. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be secured jointly, in cooperation with NATO allies including the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to rule on issues concerning the kingdom and Greenland," the declaration added.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics argue it was tardy to be formulated and, owing to the restricted number of supporters to the declaration, it failed to project a European Union in agreement in objective.

"If there had been a joint position from all 27 EU partners, plus NATO ally the UK, in defense of Danish control, that would have delivered a strong signal to America," stated a European defense analyst.

Reflect on the contradiction at play at the France meeting. Numerous European national and other officials, from NATO and the EU, are attempting to involve the White House in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an outside force (Moscow), on the heels of the US has entered independent Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also still actively threatening the autonomy of a different EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Danish officials, extremely close allies. Or were.

The question is, should Trump make good on his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it constitute not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a significant crisis for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident Trump has expressed his intention to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

He insisted that the landmass is "so strategic right now, it is frequented by foreign naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Copenhagen is not going to be able to handle it".

Copenhagen contests that last statement. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a treaty, the US has a military base currently on Greenland – established at the onset of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the total of staff there from about 10,000 during the height of that era to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of taking its eye off Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is open to discussion about a larger US role on the island and further cooperation but confronted by the US President's assertion of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to control Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges in Europe are taking it seriously.

"This whole situation has just highlighted – yet again – the EU's fundamental vulnerability {