The Holy See announced Tuesday it will decline participation in President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, with the Vatican’s chief diplomatic official expressing preference for United Nations leadership in international crisis management.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, explained the decision while emphasizing that global crisis situations should remain under UN oversight.
Trump extended an invitation in January to Pope Leo, America’s first pontiff and an outspoken critic of certain Trump administration policies, to join the newly formed board.
The Board of Peace emerged from Trump’s Gaza peace plan that resulted in a tenuous ceasefire last October. Originally designed to oversee temporary governance in Gaza, Trump later announced plans to broaden the board’s scope to address worldwide conflicts, with himself serving as chairman. The inaugural meeting is scheduled for Thursday in Washington to address Gaza’s reconstruction efforts.
Representatives from Italy and the European Union confirmed they will attend as observers rather than full participants, having chosen not to formally join the initiative.
“The Holy See will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” Parolin explained.
He added, “One concern is that at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted.”
Human rights advocates have criticized the structure, comparing Trump’s oversight of foreign territorial affairs to colonial governance models. The board has also drawn scrutiny for excluding Palestinian representation despite launching last month.
International response to Trump’s invitations has been measured, with policy analysts warning the initiative could weaken UN authority. While several Middle Eastern allies have agreed to participate, Western partners have largely remained distant.
The Gaza ceasefire has faced numerous violations since October, with reports indicating hundreds of Palestinian deaths and four Israeli military casualties during the truce period.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 72,000 deaths, triggered widespread food shortages, and displaced the territory’s entire population.
Numerous human rights specialists, academic researchers, and a UN investigation have characterized the situation as genocide. Israeli officials maintain their actions constitute legitimate self-defense following Hamas-led attacks in late 2023 that killed 1,200 people and resulted in over 250 hostages.
Pope Leo has consistently condemned the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The pontiff, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, rarely participates in international boards. The Vatican maintains extensive diplomatic relations and holds permanent observer status at the United Nations.
