🔗 Share this article

This very day, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, largely composed of European leaders, met in Paris with representatives of President Trump, hoping to achieve further advances on a sustainable peace deal for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a framework to end the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", no-one in that gathering desired to risk keeping the US engaged.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that impressive and luxurious summit, and the prevailing tension was exceptionally uneasy.

Recall the developments of the recent days: the White House's divisive incursion in the South American nation and the US president's assertion soon after, that "our national security requires Greenland from the viewpoint of defense".

This massive island is the world's biggest island – it's six times the size of Germany. It lies in the Arctic but is an self-governing possession of Denmark's.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting across from two powerful individuals speaking on behalf of Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from her EU counterparts not to alienating the US over Greenland, for fear that that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the debate on Ukraine separate. But with the political temperature mounting from Washington and Copenhagen, representatives of big EU countries at the Paris meeting issued a statement stating: "The island is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved jointly, in partnership with alliance members including the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to rule on issues related to Denmark and its autonomous territory," the communiqué added.

The statement was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics contend it was delayed to be put together and, because of the limited set of endorsers to the declaration, it was unable to demonstrate a European Union united in intent.

"Had there been a joint position from all 27 EU partners, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's sovereignty, that would have sent a strong warning to Washington," commented a EU defense expert.

Reflect on the paradox at work at the European gathering. Multiple European government and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are seeking to involve the Trump administration in safeguarding the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an external actor (Russia), on the heels of the US has swooped into sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also still actively threatening the sovereignty of a different continental ally (Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, in the view of Danish officials, profoundly close allies. Or were.

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

Europe Risks Being Overlooked

This is not the first time Trump has spoken of his determination to control the Arctic island. He's suggested acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of taking it by force.

He insisted that the territory is "crucially located right now, it is covered with Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Copenhagen is not going to be able to do it".

Copenhagen refutes that last statement. It not long ago vowed to spend $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a mutual pact, the US operates a strategic outpost currently on Greenland – founded at the beginning of the Cold War. It has scaled down the figure of personnel there from around 10,000 during peak the confrontation to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of neglecting polar defense, up to this point.

Copenhagen has suggested it is open to discussion about a expanded US presence on the territory and additional measures but faced with 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 American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts in Europe are taking it seriously.

"The current crisis has just underlined – yet again – Europe's core weakness {