U.S. President Donald Trump (C) holds a signing founding charter at the Board of Peace meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 22, 2026.
FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP
Brussels doesn’t like the U.S. administration, but understands that is where the important decisions will be made.
The Brussels establishment widely snubbed Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative at the time of its signing ceremony late last month. Yet now, it has quietly been announced that the European Union will be sending a representative to the body’s inaugural meeting this Thursday, February 19th.
Bloc spokesman Guillaume Mercier said Tuesday that European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, will head to Washington in time for discussions on the reconstruction of Gaza. Mercier did “stress that the European Commission, it’s not becoming a member to the Board of Peace.” But while officials clearly want to keep the Board at arm’s length, their attendance also demonstrates an awareness that this—not Europe—is where the important decisions will be made.
Another figure told Politico: “It’s hardly a body with peaceful members and [is] at odds with the U.N, yet we want to support Gaza’s reconstruction and retain a say over how funds are used.” In other words, ‘we don’t like Trump but recognise his power.’
Trump rather characteristically hailed on Monday that “the Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential International Body in History.” He said that this week’s meeting will see its members pledge “more than $5 BILLION DOLLARS [€4.22bn] toward the Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction efforts,” as well as “thousands of personnel to the International Stabilisation Force and Local Police to maintain Security and Peace for Gazans.”
Whatever its potential achievements, the majority of European leaders remain concerned about there being no term limits on Trump’s chairmanship of the Board, and, no doubt, put off by the $1 billion (€0.85bn) cost of permanent membership.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
