🔗 Share this article

This very day, a so-called Alliance of the Committed, largely consisting of EU officials, gathered in Paris with delegates of President Trump, attempting to achieve further progress on a durable peace deal for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring that a roadmap to end the conflict with Russia is "nearly finalized", not a single person in that meeting wanted to risk keeping the US onboard.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that impressive and glittering gathering, and the prevailing atmosphere was profoundly uneasy.

Bear in mind the developments of the past week: the Trump administration's contentious incursion in the South American nation and the American leader's declaration soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the perspective of national security".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It lies in the Arctic region but is an self-governing possession of Copenhagen.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was seated facing two powerful individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European colleagues to avoid antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, in case that affects US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to compartmentalize Greenland and the discussions on Ukraine distinct. But with the diplomatic heat rising from the White House and Denmark, representatives of big European nations at the Paris meeting put out a communiqué stating: "The island is part of NATO. Stability in the North must therefore be achieved collectively, in cooperation with NATO allies such as the America".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and no one else, to determine on issues regarding the kingdom and Greenland," the communiqué continued.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was delayed to be drafted and, due to the small group of signatories to the declaration, it did not manage to project a European Union united in purpose.

"Were there a common statement from all 27 EU partners, along with NATO ally the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have delivered a resounding signal to Washington," noted a EU foreign policy expert.

Reflect on the paradox at work at the Paris summit. Multiple EU government and other leaders, from NATO and the EU, are trying to involve the Trump administration in guaranteeing the future independence of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile land claims of an external actor (Moscow), just after the US has swooped into independent Venezuela with force, detaining its leader, while also persistently openly threatening the territorial integrity of a further continental ally (Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact NATO. They are, according to Danish officials, exceptionally strong partners. Or were.

The issue is, were Trump to act upon his desire to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is far from the first instance President Trump has expressed his intention to dominate the Arctic island. He's proposed buying it in the past. He's also refused to rule out taking it by force.

Recently that the landmass is "crucially located right now, Greenland is patrolled by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to handle it".

Denmark strongly denies that last statement. It has lately pledged to allocate $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a mutual pact, the US operates a military base already on Greenland – established at the beginning of the Cold War. It has scaled down the figure of staff there from approximately 10,000 during the height of that era to around 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking polar defense, up to this point.

Denmark has indicated it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US presence on the territory and more but in light of the US President's assertion of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to take Greenland should be treated with gravity.

In the wake of the US administration's actions in Venezuela this past few days, her colleges across Europe are taking it seriously.

"These developments has just highlighted – yet again – the EU's basic shortcoming {