The Holy See has announced it will not join US President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace,” despite an invitation sent in January to Pope Leo XIV.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomat, said the Holy See would decline participation because of the body’s specific character, which he indicated differs from that of traditional intergovernmental institutions.
The “Board of Peace” was originally conceived to oversee Gaza’s interim administration following the recent conflict. However, Trump later said the initiative—chaired by him—would be broadened to address global conflicts.
Although confirming the Vatican’s decision not to participate, Parolin emphasized that the United Nations remains the primary institution mandated to manage international crises.
“At the international level, it is above all the UN that manages these crisis situations,” he said, noting that this has been a consistent position of the Holy See.
Since assuming office, Pope Leo XIV—the first American pontiff—has openly criticized several of Trump’s policies.
Trump unveiled the initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January. According to organizers, at least 19 countries have signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace, including Argentina, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, Italy and the European Union have indicated they will attend as observers, as they have not formally joined the board.
