Washington summit challenges UN authority as EU unity dissolves over participation
The "Peace Council," a strategic body established and championed by Donald Trump, held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, February 19, in Washington. Initially conceived to address the future of the Gaza Strip, the institution—nominally led by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair—is now positioning itself as a direct alternative to the United Nations.
The Council currently comprises approximately 25 member states. However, its legitimacy remains a point of contention within Europe. While 11 nations, including Romania and a representative from the European Union, attended as observers, several major powers pointedly declined the invitation.
A deepening transatlantic and intra-European divide
President Trump’s unilateral approach, characterized by trade tariffs and public criticism of European allies, has presented a new challenge for the EU’s 27 member states. Capitals including Paris, London, and Madrid refused to participate, while others, such as Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg, were notably omitted from the invitation list.
The Council’s founding document sets a disruptive tone, advocating for the "courage to break away from failed institutions," a transparent reference to the UN. This has sparked intense debate in Brussels regarding why the European Commission is engaging with an initiative that many member states view as a threat to international law.
Contested mandates and symbolic observers
The European Commission’s decision to attend as an observer, represented by Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, has drawn fire from the European Parliament. Critics argue the Commission lacks a formal mandate from member states to legitimize a forum that excludes key stakeholders like the Palestinian Authority and the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV recently reaffirmed that global crises must remain under the purview of the UN.
Despite these concerns, the Trump administration maintains loyalist support within the bloc. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an early adopter of the project, attended the official charter signing. Bulgaria has also joined as a full member.
Diplomatic confusion and mismatched representations
The summit was marked by several diplomatic irregularities. Italy, represented by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, signaled its close ties to the Trump administration by attending as an observer.
Romania’s participation also raised eyebrows; President Nicușor Dan attended the summit, though he was erroneously referred to as "Prime Minister" by Donald Trump. This lack of coordination highlights a growing inability within the European Union to maintain a unified diplomatic front in the face of Washington’s new institutional architecture.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
