🔗 Share this article

This very day, a self-styled Coalition of the Determined, mostly made up of EU leaders, met in Paris with delegates of President Trump, attempting to achieve additional progress on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to halt the hostilities with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that room wanted to risk retaining the Americans onboard.

Yet, there was an colossal unspoken issue in that opulent and sparkling Paris meeting, and the fundamental atmosphere was exceptionally strained.

Recall the developments of the last few days: the Trump administration's controversial involvement in Venezuela and the US president's insistence shortly thereafter, that "we need Greenland from the perspective of national security".

This massive island is the world's largest island – it's six times the dimensions of Germany. It is situated in the far north but is an semi-independent possession of Copenhagen.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned across from two key individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European counterparts to refrain from antagonising the US over the Arctic question, for fear that that undermines US assistance for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have far preferred to keep Greenland and the discussions on the war distinct. But with the tensions rising from Washington and Copenhagen, leaders of leading EU countries at the talks released a declaration stating: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in cooperation with alliance members like the US".

"It is for Copenhagen and Greenland, and them alone, to rule on affairs related to the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the statement continued.

The statement was welcomed by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts contend it was delayed to be formulated and, because of the small number of supporters to the statement, it failed to demonstrate a Europe aligned in intent.

"Had there been a common position from all 27 European Union countries, plus NATO ally the UK, in defense of Danish authority, that would have sent a strong warning to Washington," stated a European defense specialist.

Reflect on the irony at play at the European gathering. Numerous EU government and other leaders, including NATO and the European Union, are seeking to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in protecting the future independence of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile land claims of an foreign power (Moscow), immediately after the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also persistently publicly threatening the territorial integrity of another continental ally (Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the military bloc NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, exceptionally close allies. Or were.

The dilemma is, if Trump were to fulfill his ambition to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has spoken of his intention to acquire the Arctic island. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also not excluded forcible annexation.

He insisted that the island is "vitally important right now, it is patrolled by foreign naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the perspective of strategic interests and Copenhagen is unable to do it".

Copenhagen contests that claim. It has lately committed to invest $4bn in the island's defense including boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US maintains a military base currently on the island – established at the onset of the Cold War. It has reduced the total of personnel there from about 10,000 during the height of the confrontation to about 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting Arctic Security, up to this point.

Denmark has signaled it is open to discussion about a larger US role on the territory and additional measures 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 considered a real possibility.

Following the Washington's moves in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders across Europe are heeding that warning.

"These developments has just highlighted – yet again – Europe's core vulnerability {