The Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament is calling on the European Commission to clearly explain the political mandate and scope of its participation in the first meeting of the so-called ‘Board of Peace’ in Washington this Thursday.
The initiative, launched by Donald Trump last month, goes against established international rules and UN-led processes. High Representative Kaja Kallas has warned that the Board risks becoming a unilateral forum that excludes Palestinians and ignores international agreements, including UN resolutions guiding the peace process. Any EU involvement in such a format would therefore undermine Europe’s commitment to multilateralism and international law and contradict the concerns rightly raised by the European Parliament, member states, and members of the Commission.
S&D vice-president for foreign affairs, Yannis Maniatis, said:
“The European Commission must clearly explain its position on this so-called ‘Board of Peace’. There are serious concerns about the lack of transparency, the unclear mandate, and the risks of taking part in initiatives outside the United Nations framework. The Commission’s own statements are contradictory. Therefore, we call on the institution to urgently report to the European Parliament about its participation in the meeting. This raises real questions about the purpose and authorisation of this engagement, at a time when the EU should univocally defend international law and multilateralism. We need to know who authorised this participation, why, and how the EU will ensure accountability to Palestinians and respect for the United Nations.
“The EU must remain fully committed to a genuine, inclusive peace process based on international law and the UN. Any deviation risks setting a damaging precedent for EU foreign policy.”
Note to editors:
The so-called ‘Board of Peace’ is an initiative presented by Donald Trump. It is not part of any recognised international framework and does not have clear accountability to the parties involved or the United Nations. It risks bypassing the United Nations framework and concentrating political control in a single, unilateral structure. Any ‘pay-to-play’ approach linked to participation is equally unacceptable, as it raises serious concerns about fairness, integrity, and the politicisation of peace efforts for financial or political gain.
