France, Jan. 23 -- Tensions between the United States and the European Unioneased shortly before Thursday's emergency meeting in Brussels when Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he would suspend the tariff threats and would not use force to take control of Greenland- a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.

Trump said Thursday that a deal had been reached with NATO's General Secretary Mark Rutte that would provide the US with "total access" to the Arctic island.

"We were successful by being firm,"European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, referring to Trump's back-tracking over Greenland.

But the US president's threats badly shookEurope's confidence in its partner,EUofficials and leaders said.

"Transatlantic...