The EU will dispatch the Commissioner for the Mediterranean to the inaugural session of Trump’s Board of Peace on Thursday, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Euronews, despite reservations regarding its charter.
Dubravka Šuica, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, is scheduled to travel to Washington later this week to attend the first official meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, as reported to Euronews by informed sources.
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This development indicates that Brussels is not ready to fully discard collaboration with the Trump-led board, even though a majority of EU member countries have denied formal membership and the European Commission has expressed legal issues concerning the board’s charter and its governance structure.
On Monday, a European Commission spokesperson clarified that Šuica’s involvement will be limited to the «specific portion» of the meeting «focused on Gaza,» noting that her role aligns with the EU’s longstanding dedication to supporting the ceasefire and the wider international initiatives aimed at assisting Gaza’s reconstruction and post-conflict recovery.
The spokesperson emphasized that the EU will not participate as an official full member of the Board.
Another spokesperson from the Commission conveyed that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remains «in contact» with member states to synchronize their approaches to engagement with the Board.
Italy, Romania, Greece, and Cyprus have all accepted the Trump administration’s invitations to join as «observers.»
Next week, foreign affairs ministers will address the topic during their meeting in Brussels, where Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, appointed by Trump as High Representative for Gaza and responsible for coordinating between the Board of Peace and a technocratic Palestinian committee managing its daily operations, will also be present.
An EU official indicated the bloc aims to contribute to Gaza’s rebuilding efforts despite ongoing concerns about the Board’s executive framework, originally established to aid Gaza’s recovery but now broadened to a «global peace» remit.
Brussels has raised questions regarding the Board’s «scope, governance, and compatibility with the UN Charter,» which all 27 EU member states have ratified.
Nevertheless, as the leading humanitarian donor to the Palestinian territories, providing €1.65 billion since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, the EU is intent on maintaining involvement and not being excluded by the US.
Earlier on Monday, investigative platform Follow the Money revealed that the Tony Blair Institute had lobbied the European Commission for inclusion on the board, backed by documents obtained by its journalists. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair serves on the Board’s executive panel alongside Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
EU members justify involvement
The Board of Peace, launched by Trump in Davos in January, was initially designed to oversee Gaza’s post-war recovery as part of the 20-point peace plan agreed last year.
However, its charter has raised several concerns across European capitals, not least because Trump is slated to serve as Chairman indefinitely, even after his presidential term concludes.
The board’s inclusion of Russian President Vladimir Putin also renders membership politically unfeasible for most EU countries given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Italy, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania have all confirmed their acceptance of invitations to participate solely as “observers” rather than full members. Only Hungary and Bulgaria among EU states have agreed to full membership. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Trump, will attend Thursday’s meeting in person.
Still, this approach demonstrates that some EU countries keen on maintaining favorable relations with the Trump administration have set aside legal reservations in exchange for political influence.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who previously cited constitutional barriers preventing official participation, suggested over the weekend that observer status offers a “reasonable compromise” following an invitation letter from the US President.
She also noted that other nations have been invited as observers, with some yet to respond. Italy’s representative at this stage remains undetermined.
Regarding Romania, President Nicușor Dan, who holds authority over foreign policy, confirmed on Sunday that he would travel to Washington for the discussions.