🔗 Share this article

Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Willing, predominantly made up of European officials, gathered in the French capital with envoys of President Trump, aiming to make additional headway on a durable peace deal for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a roadmap to conclude the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that room wished to jeopardise keeping the Washington onboard.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that impressive and sparkling summit, and the underlying mood was exceptionally tense.

Bear in mind the actions of the recent days: the Trump administration's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the American leader's insistence soon after, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

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

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was sitting across from two key figures acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU colleagues to avoid alienating the US over Greenland, lest that impacts US backing for the Ukrainian cause.

The continent's officials would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the negotiations on the war apart. But with the tensions mounting from Washington and Denmark, representatives of leading EU countries at the gathering put out a communiqué asserting: "Greenland is part of the alliance. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be attained collectively, in conjunction with alliance members including the America".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to determine on matters concerning Denmark and its autonomous territory," the declaration added.

The announcement was received positively by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers contend it was tardy to be drafted and, owing to the restricted group of supporters to the statement, it was unable to project a European Union in agreement in purpose.

"Were there a joint declaration from all 27 European Union countries, along with NATO ally the UK, in support of Copenhagen's authority, that would have delivered a resounding signal to Washington," noted a European foreign policy expert.

Reflect on the paradox at hand at the European gathering. Several EU national and other officials, including NATO and the EU, are trying to secure the cooperation of the White House in safeguarding the future sovereignty of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile geopolitical designs of an external actor (Moscow), on the heels of the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also continuing to actively undermining the autonomy of a different EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, extremely strong partners. Or were.

The question is, were Trump to fulfill his desire to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an severe risk to NATO but also a significant challenge for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident Trump has voiced his intention to dominate the Arctic island. He's proposed buying it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the territory 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 national security and Copenhagen is incapable to handle it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that assertion. It not long ago vowed to allocate $4bn in Arctic security for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a treaty, the US operates a strategic outpost currently on the island – founded at the start of the East-West standoff. It has reduced the total of staff there from about 10,000 during peak that era to around 200 and the US has often been faulted of neglecting polar defense, until now.

Denmark has suggested it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US presence on the island and further cooperation but in light of the US President's warning of unilateral action, the Danish PM said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the Washington's moves in Venezuela this weekend, her fellow leaders throughout Europe are taking it seriously.

"These developments has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – the EU's fundamental weakness {