BRUSSELS —  Diplomats and officials in Brussels huddled around laptops and TV screens on Wednesday afternoon to hear Donald Trump’s thoughts on Europe, and on Greenland in particular. But, after a speech that lasted over an hour, many said they understood what he wanted less well than at the start.

The U.S. president’s appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos came amid unprecedented transatlantic tensions, and a day before EU leaders meet to discuss their response to his threat of new tariffs if Denmark does not hand over control of Greenland.

“No nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the United States,” Trump insisted. However, he added, “I don’t have to use force, I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force.”

Although that was the first time that Trump has explicitly ruled out a military intervention, his remarks didn’t reassure everyone.

People “can judge for themselves,” said one EU diplomat, granted anonymity to speak freely, as were others in this piece, before adding that Trump still seems insistent on getting Greenland. “It comes down to how much trust you put in that word. But I think few would see that speech and rule out anything.”

Those pushing for a forceful European response to the Trump threats were undeterred, saying Thursday’s meeting of EU leaders is still very much needed. “It is always useful that the leaders are together, especially after this weekend,” said a second diplomat.

None of the leaders of the main EU institutions had responded publicly to Trump’s speech at the time of writing.

Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s former foreign minister, wrote online during the speech that “if we start questioning the borders of countries again and try to shift them by force, threats, or coercion, we will fall back into dark times.”

Describing Greenland as a “big beautiful piece of ice — it’s hard to call it land — it’s a piece of ice,” Trump did mix up which European territory he wanted to take control of, mentioning “Iceland” at least four times.

“Well, he now wants Iceland, not Greenland, so we are good,” quipped a third EU envoy. Iceland, located 350 miles east of Greenland, has been the subject of this U.S. administration’s trademark unsettling jokes after Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Iceland, Billy Long, jested in Washington that Iceland would be the 52nd U.S. state and he would be governor.

One subject on which Trump got a laugh from some concerned Europeans was his remarks on French President Emmanuel Macron. “Beautiful sunglasses,” Trump quipped after the French centrist was pictured wearing aviators inside, “but what the hell happened?” French officials said Macron has a burst blood vessel in his eye.

An EU official concurred: “We all had that thought, DJT.”

Zoya Sheftalovich and Gerardo Fortuna contributed reporting.