The Painful Questions for NATO and the European Union as President Trump Makes Threats About the Arctic Island

Earlier today, a informal Coalition of the Determined, predominantly made up of European officials, gathered in Paris with delegates of US President Donald Trump, aiming to make more headway on a durable peace agreement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a framework to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "nearly finalized", nobody in that gathering desired to risk maintaining the Washington involved.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that opulent and luxurious gathering, and the underlying mood was profoundly strained.

Recall the events of the last few days: the Trump administration's controversial intervention in Venezuela and the US president's declaration following this, that "we need Greenland from the viewpoint of strategic interests".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It lies in the far north but is an self-governing region of the Kingdom of Denmark.

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

She was subject to urging from her EU allies to refrain from alienating the US over Greenland, in case that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

EU heads of state would have much rather to keep the Arctic dispute and the discussions on Ukraine separate. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from Washington and Denmark, leaders of big European nations at the gathering released a declaration saying: "This territory is part of the alliance. Defense in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in cooperation with alliance members including the America".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and Greenland, and them alone, to decide on affairs regarding the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the communiqué continued.

The statement was greeted by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but analysts contend it was tardy to be formulated and, because of the restricted number of endorsers to the declaration, it failed to show a Europe united in purpose.

"Were there a common position from all 27 EU partners, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in support of Danish authority, that would have conveyed a strong message to Washington," noted a EU defense expert.

Consider the paradox at play at the France meeting. Numerous EU government and other leaders, such as NATO and the European Union, are attempting to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future independence of a EU nation (Ukraine) against the hostile territorial ambitions of an external actor (Russia), immediately after the US has intervened in sovereign Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also still actively challenging the autonomy of a different EU member (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both participants of the defensive pact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, in the view of Copenhagen, extremely key friends. Or were.

The question is, should Trump act upon his goal to assert control over the island, would it constitute not just an severe risk to NATO but also a significant problem for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Trampled Underfoot

This is far from the first instance Trump has expressed his determination to dominate the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also refused to rule out a military seizure.

On Sunday that the island is "vitally important right now, Greenland is patrolled by foreign ships all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests and Denmark is unable to provide security".

Denmark contests that assertion. It not long ago vowed to invest $4bn in the island's defense for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a treaty, the US operates a strategic outpost currently on the island – set up at the start of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the figure of staff there from around 10,000 during peak the confrontation to about 200 and the US has often been faulted of overlooking polar defense, up to this point.

Copenhagen has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a expanded US role on the island and further cooperation but in light of the US President's warning of going it alone, Frederiksen said on Monday that Washington's desire to take Greenland should be taken seriously.

Following the US administration's actions in Venezuela this weekend, her colleges across Europe are doing just that.

"These developments has just emphasized – once again – the EU's fundamental vulnerability {