This very day, a so-called Group of the Committed, predominantly consisting of EU heads of state, met in Paris with representatives of US President Donald Trump, hoping to make additional progress on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.
With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to end the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", no-one in that gathering desired to endanger retaining the US onboard.
Yet, there was an immense glaring omission in that grand and luxurious summit, and the underlying mood was exceptionally uneasy.
Consider the actions of the last few days: the US administration's divisive involvement in the South American nation and the US president's assertion following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".
The vast Arctic territory 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, Copenhagen's leader, was sitting facing two key individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
She was under pressure from her EU counterparts not to alienating the US over Greenland, for fear that that impacts US assistance for Ukraine.
EU heads of state would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the debate on Ukraine apart. But with the diplomatic heat mounting from Washington and Denmark, leaders of big EU countries at the talks released a declaration stating: "The island is part of the alliance. Security in the North must therefore be achieved collectively, in cooperation with alliance members including the US".
"The decision is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and no one else, to determine on matters related to Denmark and Greenland," the statement continued.
The announcement was welcomed by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was tardy to be formulated and, owing to the restricted set of signatories to the declaration, it was unable to project a European Union aligned in objective.
"If there had been a common declaration from all 27 European Union countries, along with alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish sovereignty, that would have conveyed a strong message to America," commented a European foreign policy expert.
Consider the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Numerous EU national and other officials, such as NATO and the EU, are attempting to involve the Trump administration in protecting the future independence of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an outside force (Moscow), immediately after the US has entered independent Venezuela by armed intervention, taking its president into custody, while also persistently actively undermining the autonomy of a different EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).
To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both signatories of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, profoundly close allies. Previously, they were considered so.
The issue is, were Trump to make good on his ambition to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an severe risk to NATO but also a significant crisis for the European Union?
Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot
This is not the first time President Trump has spoken of his intention to dominate Greenland. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also refused to rule out taking it by force.
Recently that the landmass is "crucially located right now, it is frequented by Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Denmark is unable to do it".
Denmark strongly denies that last statement. It not long ago vowed to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.
Pursuant to a bilateral agreement, the US has a defense installation already on the island – set up at the onset of the Cold War. It has reduced the figure of staff there from approximately 10,000 during peak Cold War operations to about 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of taking its eye off the northern theater, recently.
Denmark has signaled it is willing to talk about a expanded US presence on the territory and more but confronted by the US President's assertion of independent moves, the Danish PM said on Monday that Trump's ambition to take Greenland should be treated with gravity.
In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts throughout Europe are taking it seriously.
"The current crisis has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – Europe's basic shortcoming {
