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Whether Trump’s Peace Council becomes a genuine diplomatic tool or a rival stage to the United Nations remains an open question, but its makeup already sends a signal. With heavy participation from the Middle East and the Global South, minimal EU involvement, and major powers staying away, the initiative looks less like a global consensus-builder and more like a selective, U.S.-driven forum built for speed, leverage, and deal-making. For supporters, that flexibility is the point. For critics, it raises a bigger concern: that Washington may be testing whether global diplomacy can function without the UN at its center.
Trump’s ‘Peace Council’: Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who’s Watching
Participating / Represented at Davos
A coalition heavy on the Middle East, Eurasia, and the Global South, with limited EU presence.
- Middle East & Gulf: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan
- Regional power: Turkey (FM Hakan Fidan)
- Eurasia & Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia
- Europe (EU): Hungary, Bulgaria (the only EU members present)
- Americas: Argentina, Paraguay
- Asia: Indonesia, Pakistan
- Others: Morocco, Kosovo
Pattern: Strong participation from U.S. partners outside Western Europe and countries comfortable with looser, leader-driven diplomacy.
Absent or Declined
Several traditional U.S. allies and global powers are notably missing.
- Major EU states: France, Germany, Italy
- Nordics: Sweden, Norway
- UK: Not represented
- Global powers: China, Russia, India
Why it matters: These are the same countries that usually anchor UN diplomacy — and their absence raises eyebrows.
Why the Hesitation
Diplomats and analysts point to three main concerns:
- UN overlap: Fear the council could sideline or weaken the United Nations
- Unclear mandate: No legal framework, voting rules, or enforcement power
- U.S.-centric: Seen as driven by Trump personally, not multilateral consensus
Trump insists the council will work “with many others, including the UN.”
Critics hear: parallel structure.
The Big Question
Is this:
- A flexible, deal-making forum to break diplomatic deadlock?
or - The early shape of a U.S.-led alternative to the UN?
For now, the membership list tells the story: the Global South and Gulf are in; Europe’s core powers are not.
*With information from Reuters, Kathimerini.gr
