TL:DR – European Commission sends representative to Trump’s Board of Peace meeting in Washington this Thursday
• The European Commission will attend Trump’s Board of Peace meeting on Thursday but will not join due to governance concerns (European Commission, 2023).
• Dubravka Šuica will participate in discussions regarding Gaza, avoiding controversy (European Commissioner, 2023).
• The EU foreign ministers will discuss the Board next week in Brussels (Kaja Kallas, 2023).
• The EU aims to finalise sanctions against Russia amid ongoing Ukraine conflict (David O’Sullivan, 2023).
• Ireland’s Data Protection Commission is probing X’s AI chatbot Grok over issues related to sexual imagery (Irish DPC, 2023).
Newsletter: The EU’s balancing act on Trump’s Peace Board
The European Commission is sending a representative to the first meeting of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington on Thursday, though it will not join as a member due to ongoing concerns regarding the Board’s scope, governance, and potential overlap with the United Nations. According to the Commission, Dubravka Šuica, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, will participate only in the section of the meeting addressing Gaza. This engagement is aimed at ensuring the EU remains involved in the implementation of the US-brokered 20-point peace plan while avoiding any controversy surrounding the Board.
The Board of Peace was initially proposed to solidify the ceasefire in Gaza and received endorsement in a United Nations Security Council resolution. However, many European leaders have voiced unease that Trump has expanded its mandate to create a structure that could overshadow the UN, which he would lead indefinitely after his presidency concludes. Currently, only Hungary and Bulgaria are members, while Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Romania have accepted observer status, a designation from which EU officials are trying to distance themselves.
In coordination with this, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, is engaged with various governments regarding the Board’s activities. The topic will be addressed when EU foreign ministers convene in Brussels next week, accompanied by Nickolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian diplomat appointed by Trump as High Representative for Gaza, who will facilitate collaboration between the Board and a Palestinian committee managing day-to-day operations.
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