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Earlier today, a self-styled Group of the Committed, largely made up of EU heads of state, gathered in Paris with delegates of US President Donald Trump, attempting to achieve additional headway on a sustainable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a roadmap to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that gathering desired to risk maintaining the US involved.

Yet, there was an immense unspoken issue in that grand and glittering summit, and the underlying mood was profoundly strained.

Recall the developments of the last few days: the US administration's controversial involvement in Venezuela and the US president's declaration following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

Greenland is the world's largest island – it's six times the size of Germany. It is located in the Arctic region but is an self-governing possession of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was sitting opposite two powerful figures representing Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from her EU colleagues to avoid antagonising the US over Greenland, in case that undermines US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have far preferred to keep the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war apart. But with the diplomatic heat rising from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of leading European nations at the Paris meeting released a declaration saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be secured jointly, in conjunction with alliance members such as the America".

"It is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and no one else, to determine on affairs concerning the kingdom and Greenland," the declaration added.

The statement was greeted by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was delayed to be formulated and, because of the small group of endorsers to the declaration, it failed to demonstrate a European Union united in objective.

"Had there been a joint position from all 27 EU partners, plus alliance partner the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's authority, that would have conveyed a strong message to the US," noted a European foreign policy expert.

Ponder the contradiction at work at the France meeting. Multiple EU national and other leaders, from the alliance and the European Union, are attempting to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the expansionist land claims of an external actor (Russia), just after the US has entered independent Venezuela militarily, detaining its leader, while also persistently openly challenging the sovereignty of a different continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, extremely strong partners. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to act upon his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a significant challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

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

He insisted that the territory is "vitally important right now, it is frequented by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Denmark is unable to handle it".

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

Pursuant to a treaty, the US maintains a strategic outpost presently on the island – founded at the beginning of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of personnel there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to about 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking polar defense, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US presence on the territory and more but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Trump's ambition to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges throughout Europe are heeding that warning.

"This whole situation has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – the EU's core weakness {