Spain criticizes EU attendance at Board of Peace meeting
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares on Friday described the European Commission’s presence at US President Donald Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington as a “mistake.”
Speaking at an event in Barcelona, Albares said he regretted seeing a European Union commissioner attend the gathering. According to Swiss Info, which cited the Spanish news agency EFE, he stated that the commissioner “shouldn’t have been there.”
EU participation despite declining initiative
Trump convened the first meeting of his newly formed Board of Peace on Thursday. The session brought together representatives from more than 20 countries to discuss the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and broader efforts to stabilize the region.
Although the European Union chose not to formally join the initiative, it sent Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Šuica to attend the segment of the meeting focused on Gaza.
Albares acknowledged Trump’s efforts but argued that other paths could better support peace in the Middle East.
Spain reiterates support for two-state solution
Furthermore, Albares stressed that the EU supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For that reason, he said, the bloc cannot take part in any initiative that excludes the Palestinian National Authority.
He also explained why Spain declined the invitation to attend. According to Albares, the absence of Palestinian representation and concerns that the US peace proposal may conflict with international law led Madrid to stay away from the meeting.
As debate continues over the Board of Peace initiative, Spain has reaffirmed its commitment to established international frameworks for resolving the conflict.
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