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Just this morning, a self-styled Group of the Committed, predominantly consisting of European officials, met in Paris with delegates of President Trump, hoping to make additional progress on a durable peace deal for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a roadmap to conclude the war with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that meeting wanted to jeopardise retaining the US involved.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that grand and sparkling Paris meeting, and the fundamental tension was profoundly strained.

Consider the events of the past week: the Trump administration's divisive intervention in Venezuela and the US president's assertion shortly thereafter, that "we need Greenland from the viewpoint of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's biggest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the far north but is an autonomous possession of Denmark's.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two key personalities speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to refrain from provoking the US over Greenland, lest that impacts US assistance for Ukraine.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to keep Greenland and the negotiations on Ukraine separate. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Denmark, leaders of major states at the Paris meeting issued a declaration stating: "Greenland is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be attained together, in conjunction with alliance members including the America".

"The decision is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on affairs regarding the kingdom and Greenland," the declaration further stated.

The announcement was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was delayed to be drafted and, owing to the small set of signatories to the declaration, it was unable to project a Europe united in objective.

"If there had been a joint declaration from all 27 EU partners, plus alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish control, that would have delivered a powerful signal to Washington," commented a European defense expert.

Reflect on the paradox at work at the France meeting. Several European government and other officials, such as NATO and the EU, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a continental state (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), immediately after the US has swooped into independent Venezuela by armed intervention, taking its president into custody, while also persistently openly challenging the autonomy of a further European nation (Denmark).

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

The question is, if Trump were to fulfill his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an fundamental challenge to NATO but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is not the first time President Trump has expressed his resolve to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the landmass is "so strategic right now, Greenland is covered with foreign ships all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the perspective of national security and Copenhagen is incapable to do it".

Copenhagen refutes that assertion. It has lately committed to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a mutual pact, the US maintains a strategic outpost presently on the island – founded at the onset of the Cold War. It has cut the number of staff there from about 10,000 during the height of that era to approximately 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 expanded US footprint on the island and further cooperation but confronted by the US President's assertion of unilateral action, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

After the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges throughout Europe are doing just that.

"The current crisis has just highlighted – yet again – Europe's fundamental vulnerability {