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Earlier today, a self-styled Group of the Determined, largely made up of European leaders, gathered in Paris with envoys of US President Donald Trump, aiming to achieve more headway on a durable settlement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a framework to end the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", not a single person in that gathering wanted to risk retaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense elephant in the room in that opulent and luxurious summit, and the fundamental tension was extremely strained.

Bear in mind the events of the recent days: the White House's controversial incursion in the South American nation and the President Trump's assertion shortly thereafter, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It is located in the Arctic but is an self-governing territory of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Copenhagen's leader, was positioned opposite two influential individuals acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to refrain from provoking the US over Greenland, in case that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to keep Greenland and the debate on Ukraine separate. But with the tensions mounting from the White House and Denmark, representatives of major European nations at the gathering released a declaration saying: "The island is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in conjunction with NATO allies such as the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to rule on affairs concerning the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the statement continued.

The announcement was welcomed by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers contend it was delayed to be formulated and, due to the restricted number of supporters to the statement, it was unable to show a European Union aligned in purpose.

"Had there been a common statement from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish authority, that would have sent a strong warning to America," commented a EU foreign policy analyst.

Consider the contradiction at hand at the France meeting. Several European national and other leaders, from the alliance and the European Union, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the White House in protecting the future independence of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Moscow), just after the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela militarily, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to openly undermining the autonomy of another European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, extremely close allies. Or were.

The issue is, if Trump were to act upon his goal to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a profound problem for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has expressed his resolve to control Greenland. He's proposed acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the island is "crucially located right now, it is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Copenhagen is incapable to do it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that claim. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a mutual pact, the US operates a military base presently on Greenland – founded at the onset of the Cold War. It has scaled down the figure of troops there from about 10,000 during the height of Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of neglecting the northern theater, recently.

Denmark has suggested it is willing to talk about a expanded US footprint on the island and more but confronted by the US President's warning of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to take Greenland should be taken seriously.

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

"The current crisis has just highlighted – for the umpteenth time – Europe's core weakness {