The Holy See, through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has officially announced it will not participate in the 'Board of Peace' initiative promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump. Cardinal Parolin cited the Vatican's 'particular nature' as the primary reason for declining involvement in the body intended to address conflicts like the one in Gaza. The Vatican also expressed reservations because the initiative appears to operate separately from established international bodies like the United Nations. Furthermore, Cardinal Parolin indicated that Italy's potential observer role on the board raises 'critical points that need to be explained.'
15 days ago
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, stated on February 17, 2026, that the Holy See will not participate in U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace."1 2 3 The announcement came after a meeting in Rome marking the anniversary of the 1929 Lateran Pacts, attended by Italian leaders including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.3 4
Parolin cited the Holy See's "particular nature, which is clearly not that of other states," emphasizing its unique diplomatic role.1 2 6 He expressed concerns over "critical points" needing clarification, including the primacy of the United Nations in managing global crises.1 3 4 While acknowledging the board's intent to address conflicts like Gaza, Parolin noted perplexing aspects that remain unresolved.2 5 6
Announced in September 2025, the board aims to tackle global conflicts, focusing on Gaza as a UN-independent body chaired by Trump.1 4 Its inaugural meeting is set for February 19, 2026, at the renamed "Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace" in Washington.4 Over 25 countries have joined, including Israel, Argentina, Egypt, UAE, Hungary, and Qatar; Italy will participate as an observer.1 3 4
European allies have largely declined, citing risks to UN authority.4 A network of 2,200 priests from 58 countries urged a "Lenten conversion" and warned the board may sideline Palestinian voices.4 Earlier Vatican evaluation shifted to this firm decision.1 2
Parolin voiced pessimism on Ukraine's war nearing its fourth anniversary, lamenting no real peace progress after four years.1 3 6 The Holy See upholds multilateralism, a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine, and international law for Jerusalem's holy sites.6 This stance aligns with Vatican preferences for UN-led dialogue over ad-hoc coalitions.3 4
Holy See upholds UN primacy over new peace councils
The Holy See has long affirmed the United Nations as the central multilateral institution for fostering global peace, consistently prioritizing its reform and strengthening over the establishment of competing or parallel "peace councils." This stance reflects a profound Catholic vision of international cooperation rooted in the Gospel's call for fraternity, justice, and the common good, where the UN serves as an indispensable "family of nations" despite its imperfections. Recent papal and Vatican interventions underscore that while the UN requires revitalization to address inefficiencies, any new mechanisms must integrate into or support its framework, avoiding fragmentation that could undermine effective diplomacy.
From the mid-20th century onward, popes have positioned the Holy See as a collaborative partner within the UN, viewing it as the primary arena for advancing peace amid conflicts. Pope Paul VI initiated formal Holy See participation over thirty years before 1995, offering the Church's "spiritual and humanitarian expertise" to promote the "integral good of the human person." This engagement stems from the Church's universal mission, unbound by national interests, to serve all peoples through a "more just order which will make our world a place that is more human, fraternal and welcoming."
Pope John Paul II echoed this in addresses to diplomats, praising nations' efforts in international bodies for peace, disarmament, and conflict resolution while urging avoidance of force, which "leads to grave and prolonged disorders." He invoked Pius XII's pre-World War II plea: "Nothing is lost with peace; all may be lost with war," emphasizing that the arms race cannot resolve conflicts durably. The Holy See's goal remains defending human dignity and harmony among peoples, with the UN as the key platform. Even earlier, the Fifth Lateran Council (1513) called for legates to negotiate peace among Christian princes, prefiguring modern multilateral diplomacy against the "threatening... danger from the infidels."
This tradition aligns with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace's mandate to promote justice and peace per Gospel and social teaching.
Contemporary Vatican statements explicitly uphold the UN's primacy, advocating reform to grant it "real teeth" rather than endorsing new entities that might supplant it. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, at the 2023 Summit of the Future, stressed the need to appraise progress on UN foundational documents and pursue "true multilateralism" guided by the 2030 Agenda, avoiding "power being co-opted only by a few countries." He rooted hope in shared human roots—faith, family, culture—warning against platitudes in favor of consensus for collective well-being.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, addressing the UN General Assembly on "Our Common Agenda" (2021), supported revitalization but cautioned: the upgrade to "United Nations 2.0" should remedy "inefficiencies and eliminating the bugs in its 'operating system,' not supplanting that operating system." He urged linking new proposals to existing mechanisms, ensuring discussions avoid "unintended controversies" between non-binding reports and state-led processes. This directly counters notions of "new peace councils" bypassing the UN, positioning it as "essential for effective multilateralism."
Pope Francis reinforced this at COP28 (2023), lamenting a "general cooling of multilateralism" amid wars in Israel-Palestine, Ukraine, and elsewhere, which waste resources better directed to a "global fund" against hunger and for sustainable development. He called for "global and effective rules" and rebuilding trust as multilateralism's foundation, linking peace to care for creation. Similarly, in Laudate Deum (2023), he advocated multilateralism prioritizing human dignity over "local or contingent interests."
Pope Leo XIV's message at COP30 (2025), delivered by Cardinal Parolin, ties peacebuilding to creation stewardship: "If you want to cultivate peace, care for creation," amid "global warming and armed conflicts." It decries "collective selfishness" and urges "cohesive and forward-looking multilateralism" centered on life's sacredness and the common good, invoking John Paul II on ecological crisis as a "moral issue" demanding solidarity. This builds on Francis's Security Council address (2023), where fraternity must be "a real point of departure" for lasting peace: "There is still time to write a new chapter of peace in history... war [to] belong to the past, not to the future."
In contexts like South Sudan, the Holy See supports UN-linked peacebuilding, as Caccia noted in 2023, appreciating the Peacebuilding Commission's role in linking security, development, and rights while Pope Francis hosted retreats for reconciliation. Pope Paul VI (1977) assured the UN Secretary-General of support for its "human work of justice, peace and development," despite limits, calling for impartial political will.
Even interreligious efforts, per John Paul II (1992), involve prayer for peace without indifferentism, aiding particular Churches amid conflicts.
No source endorses standalone "new peace councils"; instead, they affirm UN primacy, warning against fragmentation. Proposals for alternatives risk echoing the "logic of arms" that escalates violence. The Holy See's diplomacy—via addresses, participation, and councils—prioritizes integrating innovations into UN structures, as in climate-peace synergies. Doc 1's press conference hints at Leo XIV's peace missions leveraging Vatican ties, but within multilateral ethos.
In sum, the Holy See upholds the UN's irreplaceable role, urging reform for efficacy while rejecting dilutions of its authority. This fidelity to multilateralism, grounded in Catholic social teaching, offers a blueprint for global harmony: fraternity over rivalry, dialogue over division, and hope rooted in the human person.