On January 23, Spain said it would not participate in the Peace Council initiated by US President Donald Trump to resolve global conflicts.
This decision was made by the Spanish government for reasons consistent with its support for multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations.
Speaking to reporters after the European Union summit in Brussels, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Madrid appreciated the invitation from Washington but decided not to participate.
Mr. Sanchez emphasized that this choice stems from the consistency in Spain's commitment to international law, the United Nations system and the multilateral approach to conflict resolution.
According to the US side, the Peace Council is designed to mediate and supervise ceasefires, organize security mechanisms and coordinate reconstruction activities in areas that have just emerged from war. The idea for this mechanism originated from Mr. Trump's peace plan related to Gaza.
The launching ceremony of the Peace Council took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. However, the event did not have the presence of many traditional US allies such as Canada, Britain and all European Union member countries, except for Hungary and Bulgaria.
Mr. Sanchez also noted that the Peace Council does not include the Palestinian Authority, a factor that Spain considers important in all efforts related to peace issues in the Middle East.
According to published information, Israel has joined the Peace Council, along with a number of Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Spain's refusal to participate reflects differences in its approach to international peace initiatives, especially when new mechanisms are not closely linked to the United Nations framework.
