During a joint press conference in Rome alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the potential involvement of Germany in the United States-led Board of Peace initiative, a proposal advanced by U.S. President Donald Trump focused on fostering peace efforts in Gaza.
Merz acknowledged the humanitarian and geopolitical importance of seeking solutions in Gaza and communicated Germany's willingness to engage in the initiative’s broader objectives. However, he made clear that the current organizational and governance setup of this peace board is incompatible with Germany’s constitutional framework, thus precluding acceptance of the proposal as it presently stands.
"In the form in which the peace board is currently structured, we cannot accept its governance structures in Germany due to constitutional restrictions," Merz declared. Despite these reservations, he expressed intent to pursue collaboration with the United States in alternative formats designed to advance peace. He indicated that such cooperation might not be confined solely to regions like Gaza or the Middle East, proposing that similar cooperative frameworks could potentially address other conflict-affected areas, including Ukraine.
By outlining these positions, Chancellor Merz strikes a balance between supporting peace initiatives and safeguarding constitutional compliance within Germany. His openness to devising new modalities for cooperation suggests a flexible approach to international conflict resolution efforts, conditioned on frameworks that align with domestic legal and institutional requirements.
This stance may influence diplomatic dialogues between Germany and the United States, as well as shape international peacebuilding strategies across conflict zones with significant geopolitical consequences.