Italy and Poland are among the latest European allies to snub President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, joining a growing list of countries refusing or hesitating to participate.
The board was officially launched in late January, but most of Europe and other traditional U.S. partners have stayed on the sidelines, with some outright rejecting it and others asking for more time to consider the proposal. On Wednesday, leaders of Poland and Italy formally announced they would not join for now.
“Taking into account certain national doubts regarding the shape of the board, under these circumstances, Poland will not join the work of the Board of Peace, but we will analyse it,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a government meeting on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The board was initially proposed as part of Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, but has since been reframed by Trump as a broader global body. That shift has fueled skepticism among some Western powers wary of empowering an alternative to the United Nations (UN). Notably, the peace framework, including the board, was approved by the UN Security Council in November. However, the peace framework, including the board, was approved by the UN Security Council in November.
Under draft terms, permanent members would reportedly be required to contribute $1 billion each and grant Trump authority as the board’s inaugural chairman.
The administration of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of the president’s closest European allies, cited constitutional barriers for her country’s refusal.
“We cannot join the Board of Peace because there is an insurmountable constitutional barrier on Italy’s side,” said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, according to Reuters.
“However, if we need to work on reconstruction efforts aimed at ensuring peace in the Middle East, we are ready to do so,” Tajani added.
Tusk also left the door open for future participation if the board’s structure were amended.
“Our relations with the United States have been and will remain our priority, so if the circumstances change that will enable joining the work of the Board, we do not rule out any scenario,” Tusk said.
France, led by vocal Trump critic President Emmanuel Macron, previously declined the invitation, arguing that the board’s charter “goes beyond the framework of Gaza and raises serious questions, in particular with respect to the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot be called into question.”
The other permanent members of the UN Security Council — the UK, China, and Russia — have yet to commit.
Beyond concerns about undermining the UN, a major factor in hesitation among European nations is the invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to serve on a body tasked with resolving global conflicts.
So far, Argentina, Hungary, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Belarus, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Armenia, Jordan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Albania, Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Kuwait, and Mongolia have confirmed membership.
The Trump administration plans to convene the Board of Peace’s inaugural meeting in February.
“President Trump looks forward to broad support at his inaugural Board of Peace meeting next week. Stay tuned!” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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