Spain Rejects Trump’s Board Of Peace; Hungary, Bulgaria And Israel Join Initiative

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief

DAVOS/MADRID/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Spain will not take part in the Board of Peace initiative launched by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to tackle global conflicts, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Friday, citing Madrid’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy and the United Nations system.

Sánchez told reporters after an EU summit in Brussels that Spain appreciated the invitation but believed peace efforts should remain grounded in established international frameworks such as the UN.

The Board of Peace was formally launched by Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, where he said the body would help mediate ceasefires, coordinate security arrangements, and support rebuilding in post-conflict regions.

Despite Spain’s refusal, several countries attended the launch or have agreed to join the initiative, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, according to diplomatic sources.

HUNGARY, BULGARIA PARTICIPATE, OTHERS DECLINE

Among European Union members, only Hungary and Bulgaria have joined or signed the Board of Peace charter so far, making them the exceptions among EU states that have largely declined to participate.

Most other EU countries, including France, Germany, Britain, and Spain, have expressed caution or have refused to participate, amid concerns that the board could rival or undermine the United Nations’ role in global peace efforts.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accepted an invitation to join the Board of Peace this week, marking a notable endorsement from a key U.S. partner in the Middle East.

Trump has argued that existing institutions have failed to stop wars, saying the board would provide a new platform to resolve conflicts more effectively.

$1 BILLION CONTRIBUTION CLAUSE SPARKS QUESTIONS

Yet leaked draft documents circulating among invited governments indicate that countries would be limited to three-year terms unless they contribute $1 billion to secure permanent membership and help fund the board’s work.

The White House, however, has described reporting about a mandatory fee as “misleading,” saying there is no minimum payment required to join and that contributions would be voluntary demonstrations of commitment.

Critics, including European officials, have warned that the board’s structure and mandate remain unclear and could weaken long-standing multilateral mechanisms centered on the U.N. Charter.

The Trump-backed Board of Peace, launched in Davos, Switzerland, aims to bring together willing nations to address major conflicts through direct diplomacy, reconstruction planning, and security coordination.

Its uneven reception—embraced by some Middle Eastern and Asian states but rejected by key EU powers such as Spain—highlights the growing debate over whether new peace initiatives should operate outside traditional U.N.-led frameworks.

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