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Earlier today, a self-styled Alliance of the Determined, mostly consisting of EU heads of state, met in the French capital with delegates of US President Donald Trump, attempting to secure further advances on a durable settlement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to halt the conflict with Russia is "nearly finalized", nobody in that room wanted to jeopardise retaining the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious Paris meeting, and the underlying atmosphere was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the events of the last few days: the US administration's divisive involvement in the South American nation and the American leader's declaration shortly thereafter, that "we need Greenland from the perspective of defense".

Greenland is the world's largest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It is located in the Arctic but is an autonomous region of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was seated opposite two key individuals acting for Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from her EU counterparts to refrain from provoking the US over the Greenland issue, lest that undermines US support for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to compartmentalize Greenland and the discussions on the war separate. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Denmark, leaders of major states at the Paris meeting issued a communiqué saying: "Greenland is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in cooperation with alliance members including the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and Greenland, and no one else, to determine on affairs related to Denmark and Greenland," the statement continued.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was slow to be formulated and, because of the small number of supporters to the statement, it failed to project a European Union aligned in purpose.

"Had there been a unified statement from all 27 EU partners, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish control, that would have sent a resounding warning to the US," commented a EU defense expert.

Ponder the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Several EU national and other leaders, such as NATO and the EU, are trying to engage the White House in protecting the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the hostile land claims of an foreign power (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela militarily, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to openly challenging the territorial integrity of another European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both members of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Danish officials, profoundly close allies. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, should Trump fulfill his goal to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major problem for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance Trump has voiced his resolve to acquire Greenland. He's suggested purchasing it in the past. He's also not excluded taking it by force.

Recently that the landmass is "vitally important right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is incapable to provide security".

Copenhagen strongly denies that claim. It recently committed to invest $4bn in Arctic security including boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a treaty, the US has a defense installation currently on the island – set up at the beginning of the Cold War. It has cut the figure of troops there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to around 200 and the US has long been accused of overlooking the northern theater, recently.

Denmark has indicated it is open to discussion about a expanded US role on the island and more but in light of the US President's warning of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that Washington's desire to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

Following the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges in Europe are doing just that.

"The current crisis has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – the EU's fundamental shortcoming {