The Uncomfortable Issues for NATO and the European Union as President Trump Makes Threats About Greenland

Earlier today, a self-styled Group of the Willing, largely consisting of EU leaders, convened in Paris with envoys of the Trump administration, attempting to achieve additional progress on a durable peace deal for the embattled nation.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky asserting that a roadmap to conclude the hostilities with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that meeting desired to endanger maintaining the US involved.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that impressive and glittering gathering, and the underlying tension was exceptionally tense.

Consider the developments of the last few days: the White House's contentious incursion in the South American nation and the American leader's insistence following this, that "it is essential to have Greenland from the perspective of national security".

The vast Arctic territory is the world's biggest island – it's 600% the area of Germany. It is located in the Arctic region but is an self-governing region of Denmark's.

At the conference, Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, was positioned facing two key figures representing Trump: emissary Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner.

She was facing pressure from her EU colleagues to avoid provoking the US over the Arctic question, lest that undermines US backing for Ukraine.

EU heads of state would have greatly desired to separate Greenland and the negotiations on the war distinct. But with the diplomatic heat escalating from Washington and Denmark, leaders of major European nations at the talks put out a statement asserting: "This territory is part of NATO. Stability in the Arctic must therefore be secured collectively, in cooperation with alliance members such as the America".

"It is for Denmark and Greenland, and no one else, to decide on issues related to the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the communiqué further stated.

The announcement was greeted by Nuuk's head of government, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but critics say it was delayed to be put together and, owing to the limited set of signatories to the declaration, it failed to show a European Union united in objective.

"Were there a joint declaration from all 27 European Union countries, in addition to NATO ally the UK, in support of Danish authority, that would have delivered a strong warning to the US," stated a European defense analyst.

Consider the contradiction at work at the Paris summit. Multiple EU government and other leaders, including NATO and the European Union, are trying to secure the cooperation of the US administration in guaranteeing the future sovereignty of a continental state (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive land claims of an external actor (Moscow), just after the US has entered sovereign Venezuela militarily, arresting its head of state, while also still actively undermining the sovereignty of a further European nation (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To compound the situation – Denmark and the US are both members of the transatlantic alliance NATO. They are, as stated by Copenhagen, exceptionally close allies. At least, they were.

The question is, were Trump to fulfill his goal to assert control over the island, would it mark not just an severe risk to NATO but also a profound problem for the EU?

Europe Risks Being Trampled Underfoot

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

Recently that the island is "vitally important right now, it is covered with Russian and Chinese naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is incapable to do it".

Denmark strongly denies that assertion. It recently vowed to spend $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a mutual pact, the US maintains a defense installation already on Greenland – founded at the onset of the Cold War. It has reduced the total of staff there from around 10,000 during the height of that era to around 200 and the US has often been faulted of taking its eye off Arctic Security, recently.

Denmark has suggested it is willing to talk about a expanded US footprint on the island and more but faced with the US President's warning of going it alone, the Danish PM said on Monday that Washington's desire to take Greenland should be considered a real possibility.

In the wake of the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her fellow leaders throughout Europe are doing just that.

"The current crisis has just underlined – for the umpteenth time – Europe's basic weakness {