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Just this morning, a so-called Alliance of the Committed, largely composed of European leaders, met in the French capital with delegates of US President Donald Trump, aiming to achieve additional headway on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to end the conflict with Russia is "nearly finalized", nobody in that meeting wanted to risk keeping the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that impressive and luxurious Paris meeting, and the prevailing mood was exceptionally tense.

Consider the developments of the past week: the Trump administration's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the US president's declaration soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

This massive island is the world's biggest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an semi-independent region of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was seated opposite two powerful figures representing Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU allies to avoid provoking the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that undermines US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have much rather to compartmentalize Greenland and the debate on Ukraine apart. But with the tensions rising from the White House and Denmark, leaders of big states at the Paris meeting issued a communiqué stating: "This territory is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be attained jointly, in partnership with treaty partners including the US".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to determine on affairs concerning the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the statement added.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was slow to be put together and, because of the limited number of endorsers to the declaration, it was unable to demonstrate a Europe united in objective.

"Had there been a joint position from all 27 European Union countries, plus alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish control, that would have conveyed a powerful signal to America," stated a European foreign policy specialist.

Consider the irony at play at the European gathering. Several EU government and other leaders, including the alliance and the European Union, are attempting to engage the White House in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an outside force (Moscow), immediately after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela militarily, taking its president into custody, while also persistently actively threatening the sovereignty of a different continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, profoundly key friends. Previously, they were considered so.

The dilemma is, should Trump make good on his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has voiced his resolve to dominate the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of a military seizure.

He insisted that the landmass is "so strategic right now, Greenland is patrolled by Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Copenhagen is unable to provide security".

Copenhagen refutes that assertion. It not long ago vowed to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation currently on Greenland – founded at the beginning of the Cold War. It has cut the number of staff there from around 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting polar defense, recently.

Denmark has suggested it is open to discussion about a larger US role on the island and more but faced with the US President's warning of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to control Greenland should be taken seriously.

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 emphasized – once again – Europe's basic weakness {