🔗 Share this article

Earlier today, a self-styled Coalition of the Determined, mostly made up of European leaders, convened in the French capital with representatives of President Trump, attempting to secure further advances on a lasting peace deal for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a framework to halt the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that meeting wished to endanger maintaining the US onboard.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that opulent and luxurious Paris meeting, and the prevailing mood was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the actions of the past week: the US administration's divisive intervention in the South American nation and the American leader's assertion following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic region but is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was seated across from two influential figures speaking on behalf of Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from European counterparts to avoid alienating the US over the Arctic question, lest that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have greatly desired to separate the Arctic dispute and the discussions on the war distinct. But with the tensions mounting from the White House and Copenhagen, leaders of major European nations at the gathering released a communiqué stating: "This territory is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be secured jointly, in cooperation with treaty partners like the US".

"It is for Copenhagen and the Greenlandic authorities, and them alone, to decide on issues regarding the kingdom and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The announcement was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts argue it was tardy to be formulated and, due to the restricted number of signatories to the statement, it did not manage to demonstrate a Europe united in intent.

"Had there been a unified position from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish control, that would have conveyed a powerful warning to America," noted a European foreign policy expert.

Reflect on the contradiction at play at the European gathering. Several European national and other leaders, including NATO and the EU, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in protecting the future independence of a European country (Ukraine) against the expansionist land claims of an outside force (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela with force, taking its president into custody, while also continuing to actively challenging the sovereignty of a different European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, as stated by Danish officials, extremely close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, should Trump make good on his goal to acquire Greenland, would it constitute not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a significant crisis for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has spoken of his resolve to acquire the Arctic island. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of taking it by force.

On Sunday that the landmass is "vitally important right now, it is patrolled by foreign naval assets all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of defense and Copenhagen is incapable to do it".

Denmark strongly denies that assertion. It has lately vowed to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US operates a defense installation currently on Greenland – founded at the start of the Cold War. It has scaled down the total of troops there from approximately 10,000 during the height of that era to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking Arctic Security, recently.

Denmark has indicated it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US role on the territory and more but in light of the US President's threat of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Washington's desire to take Greenland should be taken seriously.

In the wake of the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges across Europe are heeding that warning.

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