Vatican Affirms It Will Not Join Trump's Board of Peace

The Vatican has stated it will not participate in the Board of Peace for Gaza created by United States President Donald Trump. The Vatican is concerned the body would create a rival to the United Nations (UN).

“For us, there are… several critical issues that must be resolved,” said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, as reported by AFP on Wednesday (18/2/2026).

“That is to say, at the international level, it is the UN that primarily manages this crisis situation,” he said.

“This is one of the points we have always emphasised,” he added.

Trump chairs the board, which was originally designed to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the war between Hamas and Israel. However, according to AFP reports, the board’s objectives have shifted towards resolving various international conflicts, sparking concerns that Trump wishes to create a rival to the UN.

Cardinal Pietro maintains that the UN is the principal body for managing the world’s major crises.

Since Trump launched the “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, at least 19 countries have signed its founding charter.

Those countries have been asked to pay USD 1 billion for permanent membership, and the invitation extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country invaded Ukraine in 2022, has drawn criticism.