‘’Our position on the Board of Peace remains clear and unchanged, involving questions on its scope, governance, and compatibility with the UN charter,” the EU says.
Despite its reservations on the charter of the Board of Peace created in the framework of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, the EU is sending a member of the European Commission to the first sitting of the Board in Washington next Thursday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has received an invitation to join the meeting but it will finally be European Commissioner for the Meidterranean Dubravka Šuica who will travel to Washington.
An EU spokesperson stressed that ‘’we are not becoming a member, of the Board of Peace.’’ “Šuica will be there in her capacity as commissioner responsible for the Mediterranean, representing our commitment to the implementation of peace in Gaza,’’ the spokesperson said Monday.
Senior EU officials have voiced reservations about the Board of Peace initiative. “We have serious doubts about a number of elements in the charter of the Board related to its scope, its governance and its compatibility with the UN Charter,” European Council President António Costa said after an informal meeting of EU leaders last month in Brussels.
The fact that Commissoner Šuica will participate in the meeting not as a member but rather as an observer means she won’t have a formal speaking slot, although she may be able to speak during the Q&A session reserved for non-members, writes Euractiv citing an EU official.
So far, only two EU member states, Hungary and Bulgaria have individually formally signed up to the Board of Peace charter during a special event at the recent Forum of Davos. Several other countries, such as Italy, Romania, Greece and Cyprus, want to join as ‘’observers’’ while Germany and France have said no to Trump’s invitations, as have Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Slovakia. Some member states have not received an invitation from Washington. , Belgium and the Netherlands.
These countries are worried that Trump’s initiative intends tob e a susbtitute fort he United Nations not only in Gaza but also in other conflicts.
‘’Our position on the Board of Peace remains clear and unchanged, involving questions on its scope, governance, and compatibility with the UN charter, while expressing readiness to collaborate with the United States on implementing the comprehensive peace plan for Gaza under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, reaffirming commitment to the two-state solution,’’ an EU spokesperson told reporters.
EU Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss the question during a meeting next week with Nickolay Mladenov, High Reprensentiave of the Board of Peace for Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that members of his Board of Peace “have pledged more than $5 billion dollars toward the Gaza humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, and have committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force and local police to maintain security and peace for Gaza.”
However, “very importantly,” Hamas terrorists must uphold their “commitment to full and immediate demilitarization,” he added.
Several top Hamas leaders, including Khaled Mashaal and Musa Abu Marzouk, have rejected key parts of the peace plan in recent weeks, including disarmament, despite having agreed to it in October 2025.
On Tuesday, the European Union recalled its position that ”Hamas needs to be demilitarized with no role, no role in future governance as outlined in the peace plan and supported by the UN Security Council resolution 2803.”
”The EU has called on all parties to fully commit to implement all phases of the peace plan and to refrain from actions that are jeopardizing the agreement,” said Anouar El Anouni, EU spokesperson for foreign affairs .