The Uncomfortable Issues for NATO and the EU as President Trump Threatens the Arctic Island

Just this morning, a so-called Coalition of the Willing, predominantly made up of European heads of state, met in the French capital with envoys of the Trump administration, hoping to secure further headway on a lasting peace agreement for Ukraine.

With Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that a plan to end the conflict with Russia is "90% of the way there", nobody in that gathering desired to risk retaining the Americans engaged.

Yet, there was an colossal elephant in the room in that grand and glittering Paris meeting, and the prevailing tension was extremely tense.

Recall the actions of the recent days: the White House's controversial incursion in Venezuela and the American leader's insistence shortly thereafter, that "our national security requires Greenland from the standpoint of national security".

This massive island is the world's greatest island – it's sixfold the size of Germany. It lies in the far north but is an autonomous possession of Denmark's.

At the Paris meeting, Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's Prime Minister, was seated opposite two influential individuals acting for Trump: diplomat Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

She was subject to urging from European counterparts not to alienating the US over the Greenland issue, for fear that that affects US backing for Ukraine.

Europe's leaders would have far preferred to keep Greenland and the negotiations on the war separate. But with the tensions escalating from Washington and Denmark, representatives of big European nations at the talks released a declaration asserting: "The island is part of NATO. Defense in the North must therefore be achieved together, in cooperation with treaty partners including the United States".

"Sovereignty is for Denmark and the Greenlandic authorities, and them only, to decide on matters concerning the kingdom and its autonomous territory," the communiqué further stated.

The communique was received positively by the island's leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, but observers argue it was delayed to be put together and, owing to the restricted number of supporters to the declaration, it was unable to show a European Union in agreement in objective.

"Were there a unified position from all 27 member states, along with alliance partner the UK, in backing of Danish authority, that would have sent a resounding signal to Washington," stated a EU foreign policy expert.

Ponder the paradox at hand at the European gathering. Numerous European national and other leaders, from the alliance and the EU, are seeking to involve the White House in safeguarding the future autonomy of a European country (the Eastern European nation) against the aggressive territorial ambitions of an outside force (Russia), just after the US has entered sovereign Venezuela with force, detaining its leader, while also persistently actively undermining the sovereignty of another continental ally (the Kingdom of Denmark).

To add to the complexity – Denmark and the US are both signatories of the transatlantic alliance the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. They are, according to Danish officials, exceptionally strong partners. At least, they were.

The dilemma is, should Trump act upon his ambition to acquire Greenland, would it mark not just an severe risk to the alliance but also a profound challenge for the EU?

Europe Faces the Danger of Being Overlooked

This is not the first time Trump has expressed his intention to acquire the Arctic island. He's floated the idea of acquiring it in the past. He's also refused to rule out a military seizure.

Recently that the territory is "crucially located right now, Greenland is covered with foreign naval assets all over the place. It is imperative to have Greenland from the standpoint of strategic interests and Copenhagen is incapable to provide security".

Denmark contests that claim. It has lately pledged to spend $4bn in Arctic security encompassing boats, drones and aircraft.

As per a bilateral agreement, the US has a strategic outpost already on the island – set up at the start of the East-West standoff. It has scaled down the number of personnel there from approximately 10,000 during peak that era to around 200 and the US has long been accused of neglecting the northern theater, recently.

Denmark has signaled it is amenable to dialogue about a bigger US presence on the island and more but in light of the US President's warning of unilateral action, Frederiksen said on Monday that the US leader's goal to acquire Greenland should be taken seriously.

After the American intervention in Venezuela this past few days, her counterparts in Europe are heeding that warning.

"The current crisis has just underlined – yet again – the EU's fundamental shortcoming {