🔗 Share this article

Just this morning, a so-called Group of the Committed, largely composed of EU heads of state, gathered in Paris with envoys of US President Donald Trump, hoping to secure more advances on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a framework to end the hostilities with Russia is "largely complete", no-one in that gathering desired to risk maintaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an enormous elephant in the room in that grand and glittering summit, and the prevailing mood was exceptionally uneasy.

Consider the developments of the last few days: the Trump administration's contentious incursion in the South American nation and the US president's assertion soon after, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of defense".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the dimensions of Germany. It is located in the Arctic region but is an self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

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

She was subject to urging from her EU counterparts to avoid antagonising the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that impacts US assistance for Ukraine.

The continent's officials would have greatly desired to separate the Arctic dispute and the discussions on Ukraine apart. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from the White House and Denmark, representatives of leading states at the Paris meeting released a communiqué stating: "This territory is part of the alliance. Security in the Arctic must therefore be secured together, in conjunction with alliance members like the America".

"It is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and no one else, to determine on matters related to the kingdom and Greenland," the statement further stated.

The announcement was welcomed by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was delayed to be formulated and, because of the restricted number of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to show a Europe united in intent.

"If there had been a unified position from all 27 member states, plus alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish control, that would have conveyed a powerful signal to Washington," noted a European foreign policy analyst.

Reflect on the irony at work at the European gathering. Numerous European national and other leaders, such as NATO and the European Union, are attempting to secure the cooperation of the Trump administration in safeguarding the future autonomy of a EU nation (the Eastern European nation) against the hostile land claims of an outside force (Russia), just after the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, arresting its head of state, while also still actively undermining the sovereignty of a further EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the defensive pact NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, profoundly strong partners. Or were.

The dilemma is, should Trump make good on his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an existential threat to NATO but also a major challenge for the European Union?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is far from the first instance President Trump has spoken of his resolve to acquire the Arctic island. He's proposed buying it in the past. He's also not excluded a military seizure.

Recently that the landmass is "vitally important right now, it is patrolled by Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Copenhagen is unable to handle it".

Copenhagen refutes that assertion. It recently committed to invest $4bn in the island's defense encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US maintains a military base currently on Greenland – established at the onset of the Cold War. It has reduced the figure of personnel there from about 10,000 during the height of Cold War operations to approximately 200 and the US has often been faulted of taking its eye off Arctic Security, up to this point.

Copenhagen has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a larger US role on the island and more but in light of the US President's warning of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

Following the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges in Europe are taking it seriously.

"These developments has just highlighted – once again – Europe's basic shortcoming {