Meloni makes unusual request to Trump amid 'real problem'
Giorgia Meloni (Photo: flickr.com/eda_dfae)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she has asked US President Donald Trump to change the structure of the Peace Board he is creating, according to the ANSA news agency.
Rome is not refusing to participate in the US-led Peace Board but insists on a review of its governance principles. The Italian prime minister made the statement after talks with the German chancellor in Rome, emphasizing that she has already communicated Italy’s position to Washington.
What Meloni told Trump
Meloni said she directly discussed the problematic aspects of the new initiative with President Trump. According to her, the current configuration of the Peace Board violates Italy’s constitution, as it grants the White House a dominant role.
“I said that there are objective constitutional problems for us with the way the initiative is configured and asked for his willingness to reopen this configuration to meet the needs not only of Italy, but also of other European countries,” Meloni told reporters.
Why Italy cannot join
Under the Italian constitution, the country may participate in international organizations aimed at ensuring peace and justice among nations only on an equal footing. The current Peace Board model, which grants supremacy to the US president, does not meet this requirement.
Germany’s position
The German government’s approach has aligned with Italy's, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz stating that Berlin could participate in the Peace Board only if its structure is revised.
“With respect to the Peace Board, I personally would be willing to enter it if it accompanied the Gaza process into a second phase. But, in any case, we cannot accept the current governance structures,” Merz emphasized.
Who has already signed Trump’s initiative
The agreement to create a US-led Peace Board was signed on January 22 in Davos. The initiative, according to Trump’s vision, is meant to focus on stabilizing and rebuilding Gaza, with the aim of eventually gaining a broader international mandate.
Representatives of fewer than 20 countries attended the signing ceremony. None of the key Western European and US allies signed the document. Among EU countries, only the prime ministers of Hungary and Bulgaria participated.
During closed discussions at the EU summit, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged European partners to take Washington’s position into account, emphasizing that attempts to confront US President Donald Trump directly could have negative consequences.
American entrepreneur Elon Musk publicly criticized Trump’s approach to resolving international conflicts, casting doubt on the practical usefulness of the Peace Board initiative.
