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Earlier today, a self-styled Group of the Willing, mostly composed of European leaders, met in Paris with envoys of US President Donald Trump, hoping to secure additional advances on a sustainable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a framework to end the war with Russia is "nearly finalized", not a single person in that room wanted to risk retaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that opulent and glittering summit, and the fundamental mood was extremely uneasy.

Bear in mind the actions of the past week: the US administration's divisive intervention in the South American nation and the US president's insistence shortly thereafter, that "our national security requires Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic but is an autonomous territory of Copenhagen.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two key figures acting for Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European counterparts to refrain from provoking the US over the Arctic question, in case that undermines US assistance for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to compartmentalize Greenland and the debate on Ukraine distinct. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Denmark, leaders of big states at the talks issued a declaration saying: "The island is part of the alliance. Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with alliance members like the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to determine on affairs regarding Denmark and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The announcement was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts contend it was delayed to be drafted and, because of the small set of signatories to the declaration, it failed to project a Europe united in objective.

"Were there a unified declaration from all 27 European Union countries, plus alliance partner the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have sent a strong signal to Washington," noted a European foreign policy analyst.

Ponder the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Numerous EU national and other officials, including NATO and the EU, are attempting to secure the cooperation of the US administration in protecting the future sovereignty of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the expansionist territorial ambitions of an foreign power (Russia), immediately after the US has entered independent Venezuela with force, arresting its head of state, while also still openly undermining the sovereignty of another EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, as stated by Danish officials, exceptionally key friends. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to fulfill his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it represent not just an severe risk to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is not the first time President Trump has expressed his resolve to acquire the Arctic island. He's suggested buying it in the past. He's also refused to rule out forcible annexation.

Recently that the island is "vitally important right now, it is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Denmark is unable to handle it".

Denmark strongly denies that assertion. It not long ago pledged to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a mutual pact, the US has a strategic outpost presently on Greenland – established at the start of the Cold War. It has cut the figure of troops there from around 10,000 during peak that era to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking the northern theater, until now.

Copenhagen has indicated it is willing to talk about a bigger US footprint on the island and more but confronted by the US President's threat of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts across Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just underlined – once again – the EU's core weakness {