The Difficult Questions for NATO and the EU as President Trump Threatens the Arctic Island

Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Determined, predominantly composed of EU heads of state, convened in Paris with representatives of US President Donald Trump, aiming to secure more headway on a durable settlement for the embattled nation.

With President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a plan to conclude the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", not a single person in that meeting desired to risk maintaining the US onboard.

Yet, there was an enormous glaring omission in that impressive and glittering gathering, and the prevailing atmosphere was exceptionally tense.

Bear in mind the developments of the last few days: the Trump administration's controversial involvement in Venezuela and the American leader's assertion following this, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests".

Greenland is the world's greatest island – it's 600% the size of Germany. It is situated in the Arctic region but is an semi-independent region of Denmark's.

At the summit, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was positioned across from two key personalities speaking on behalf of Trump: special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was under pressure from European colleagues not to alienating the US over the Arctic question, lest that undermines US assistance for the Ukrainian cause.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to separate Greenland and the discussions on Ukraine separate. But with the tensions escalating from the White House and Denmark, representatives of big EU countries at the Paris meeting issued a declaration stating: "Greenland is part of NATO. Security in the North must therefore be attained together, in conjunction with NATO allies such as the US".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to determine on matters regarding the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the declaration further stated.

The announcement was received positively by Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers contend it was slow to be put together and, because of the small set of signatories to the statement, it was unable to project a Europe aligned in objective.

"Were there a common statement from all 27 EU partners, in addition to alliance partner the UK, in defense of Danish control, that would have conveyed a resounding warning to the US," stated a European foreign policy expert.

Consider the irony at play at the European gathering. Multiple EU government and other officials, including NATO and the EU, are trying to engage the White House in protecting the future autonomy of a European country (Ukraine) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an external actor (Moscow), immediately after the US has swooped into independent Venezuela by armed intervention, detaining its leader, while also persistently actively challenging the territorial integrity of another continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Copenhagen and the US are both participants of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Copenhagen, profoundly close allies. Previously, they were considered so.

The issue is, should Trump act upon his desire to bring Greenland under US control, would it mark not just an existential threat to the alliance but also a profound crisis for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Marginalized

This is not an isolated incident President Trump has expressed his intention to acquire Greenland. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also left open the possibility of a military seizure.

Recently that the landmass is "so strategic right now, it is frequented by Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. We need Greenland from the perspective of national security and Denmark is unable to provide security".

Denmark contests that claim. It has lately committed to spend $4bn in Greenland defence encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

Under a bilateral agreement, the US operates a strategic outpost already on the island – established at the start of the Cold War. It has scaled down 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 the northern theater, until now.

Denmark has suggested it is open to discussion about a bigger US footprint on the island and additional measures but confronted by the US President's assertion of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Trump's ambition to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

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

"The current crisis has just emphasized – once again – Europe's core weakness {