Von der Leyen to Miss Peace Council Session
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will not attend the inaugural meeting of the Peace Council, scheduled for February 19th in the United States. This decision stems from the European Union's reservations about the initiative. The EU has raised questions regarding the compatibility of the Peace Council Charter with the UN Charter, though it remains open to cooperation with the United States.
While Ursula von der Leyen received an official invitation to the event, a European Commission spokesperson stated the EU's position remains unchanged.
'We have a number of questions regarding certain elements of the Peace Council Charter, related to its scope, governance, and compatibility with the UN Charter,' the spokesperson emphasized.He added, however, that the EU is actively engaging with the United States on shared objectives. The Peace Council is a new diplomatic forum championed by the Trump administration, and its relationship with established international bodies is under scrutiny.
Treaty Establishing the Peace Council
The treaty to establish the Peace Council, led by US President Donald Trump, was signed on January 22nd in Davos, Switzerland. Representatives from fewer than 20 nations participated in the signing ceremony. Among European Union countries, only the Prime Ministers of Hungary and Bulgaria took part. Russia decided not to send a delegation, as a trip to the US was not on Vladimir Putin's schedule. Alexander Lukashenko will also not attend; Belarus will be represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Von der Leyen's absence from the Peace Council meeting signals existing policy differences between the European Union and the United States on matters of international cooperation and security. It also underscores the EU's emphasis on adherence to established international law, particularly the UN Charter, when shaping new global initiatives. The future development of EU-US relations and the broader international response to this council will be key issues in global diplomacy moving forward.