Those Difficult Issues for NATO and the European Union as President Trump Targets Greenland

Just this morning, a so-called Alliance of the Committed, predominantly made up of EU leaders, met in the French capital with delegates of President Trump, hoping to achieve additional progress on a lasting settlement for Ukraine.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to conclude the war with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that meeting wanted to endanger retaining the Americans involved.

Yet, there was an colossal glaring omission in that opulent and glittering summit, and the fundamental tension was exceptionally tense.

Bear in mind the actions of the last few days: the US administration's contentious involvement in the South American nation and the American leader's assertion shortly thereafter, that "we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's greatest island – it's six times the size of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic but is an autonomous possession of Denmark's.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned opposite two influential personalities acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's relative Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from her EU colleagues not to provoking the US over the Arctic question, for fear that that impacts US support for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have much rather to compartmentalize the Arctic dispute and the discussions on Ukraine separate. But with the political temperature rising from Washington and Copenhagen, representatives of major European nations at the Paris meeting put out a statement asserting: "This territory is part of the alliance. Stability in the North must therefore be secured collectively, in partnership with treaty partners including the US".

"It is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to decide on affairs related to Denmark and its autonomous territory," the statement added.

The communique was welcomed by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers say it was tardy to be put together and, because of the limited number of signatories to the statement, it did not manage to demonstrate a Europe united in intent.

"Had there been a unified statement from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in defense of Copenhagen's authority, that would have delivered a resounding message to Washington," noted a European defense expert.

Reflect on the irony at play at the European gathering. Several European national and other leaders, such as NATO and the European Union, are attempting to engage the US administration in guaranteeing the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the aggressive geopolitical designs of an outside force (Russia), on the heels of the US has intervened in independent Venezuela by armed intervention, taking its president into custody, while also persistently actively challenging the sovereignty of a further continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To make matters even more stark – Denmark and the US are both members of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, in the view of Danish officials, extremely key friends. Or were.

The issue is, should Trump act upon his goal to acquire Greenland, would it represent not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a major challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has expressed his intention to control the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of purchasing it in the past. He's also refused to rule out forcible annexation.

On Sunday that the territory is "vitally important right now, Greenland is patrolled by Russian and Chinese vessels all over the place. Our security demands Greenland from the vantage point of defense and Copenhagen is unable to handle it".

Copenhagen strongly denies that assertion. It recently committed to invest $4bn in Greenland defence for boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US operates a military base presently on Greenland – established at the start of the Cold War. It has cut the figure of staff there from approximately 10,000 during peak that era to approximately 200 and the US has frequently been criticized of overlooking the northern theater, up to this point.

Denmark has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US role on the territory and more but faced with the US President's threat of independent moves, Frederiksen said on Monday that Trump's ambition to control Greenland should be treated with gravity.

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

"These developments has just highlighted – for the umpteenth time – the EU's basic weakness {