BRUSSELS – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Friday that Madrid will not participate in the newly established 'Board of Peace' championed by US President Donald Trump, citing the need for consistency with established multilateral frameworks, primarily the United Nations system.
Speaking to reporters following an EU summit in Brussels, Sánchez stated, "We appreciate the invitation, but we decline." He underscored that the decision aligns fundamentally with Spain's commitment to international law and the existing global governance architecture. A key point of contention for the Spanish government appears to be the body’s initial exclusion of the Palestinian Authority, which Sánchez explicitly referenced.
The initiative was formally launched by President Trump on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. While the charter signing included a diverse group of nations, including Argentina, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and a total of approximately 60 governments were invited, uptake among traditional Western allies has been notably subdued. To date, only Hungary and Bulgaria have confirmed their participation among the European Union member states.
The 'Board of Peace' was initially conceived to manage the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following recent conflict. However, Trump has indicated aspirations for the body to expand its mandate to address global crises, a suggestion many geopolitical analysts interpret as a direct challenge to the established authority of the UN, an organization Trump has frequently criticized.
The hesitancy from major European capitals like Madrid suggests a potential rift in transatlantic alignment regarding new, parallel governance structures. The non-committal stance from major global powers invited, including China and Russia, further underscores the challenge the initiative faces in gaining broad international legitimacy outside of its core signatories. Spain's decision reinforces the priority many EU nations place on reinforcing, rather than circumventing, existing international institutions.
Source attribution: Based on reporting from the original source.