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Just this morning, a informal Group of the Willing, predominantly composed of EU heads of state, met in Paris with representatives of US President Donald Trump, attempting to achieve further headway on a lasting peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a framework to end the conflict with Russia is "nearly finalized", no-one in that meeting desired to risk maintaining the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that opulent and sparkling gathering, and the underlying tension was exceptionally uneasy.

Recall the events of the last few days: the US administration's contentious intervention in the South American nation and the US president's assertion soon after, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's biggest island – it's sixfold the area of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an semi-independent territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned across from two powerful figures acting for Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from her EU colleagues not to alienating the US over Greenland, lest that impacts US support for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have far preferred to separate Greenland and the debate on the war separate. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from Washington and Denmark, leaders of major states at the Paris meeting released a declaration saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved together, in cooperation with alliance members such as the America".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to determine on matters related to the kingdom and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was slow to be put together and, due to the limited group of supporters to the declaration, it failed to project a European Union united in intent.

"Had there been a common statement from all 27 member states, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have sent a resounding signal to the US," noted a European foreign policy specialist.

Consider the contradiction at hand at the European gathering. Numerous European government and other leaders, such as NATO and the European Union, are trying to involve the US administration in safeguarding the future autonomy of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile geopolitical designs of an external actor (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela militarily, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to publicly threatening the sovereignty of a further European nation (Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the defensive pact NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, extremely close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The question is, should Trump make good on his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an fundamental challenge to the alliance but also a major crisis for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance Trump has expressed his resolve to dominate Greenland. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the territory is "crucially located right now, it is frequented by foreign naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of strategic interests and Denmark is incapable to do it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that last statement. It not long ago committed to spend $4bn in Arctic security including boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US operates a defense installation already on the island – set up at the onset of the Cold War. It has scaled down the number of staff there from about 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has long been accused of taking its eye off Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has signaled it is open to discussion about a larger US role on the territory and more but in light of the US President's threat of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be treated with gravity.

In the wake of the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders in Europe are doing just that.

"This whole situation has just emphasized – yet again – the EU's core vulnerability {