The Vatican confirms it is evaluating Donald Trump’s invitation to join the Gaza Peace Council, a new initiative seeking alternatives to the UN.
Newsroom (21/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Vatican is carefully assessing an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to participate in the newly formed Gaza Peace Council — a diplomatic initiative that seeks to address global conflicts, particularly the ongoing war in Gaza, through a body operating outside the framework of the United Nations.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, confirmed on January 21 that the Holy See had received the invitation and that discussions are underway about how to respond. “We too have received the invitation to the Gaza Peace Board; the Pope has received it and we are looking into what to do,” the cardinal told reporters in Rome after attending the 25th anniversary of the Observatory for Independent Thinking. “I think it is a matter that requires some time to give an answer,” he added, noting that the process of discernment is ongoing.
A Global Push for an Independent Peace Forum
According to Cardinal Parolin, President Trump is reaching out to multiple governments to form a coalition independent of existing global institutions. “The U.S. president is requesting the participation of several countries,” he said. Media reports indicate that Italy, among others, is also deliberating whether to join.
The initiative, which the White House has pitched as a Peace Council, would allow participating nations to obtain permanent seats in exchange for financial contributions. Several states — including Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Egypt, and Israel — have already publicly confirmed their participation. The Vatican, however, emphasized that its potential involvement would not be financial.
Cardinal Parolin dismissed the notion that the Holy See could contribute funds, stating that “we are not even in a position to do so.” He further clarified that the Church’s consideration “will be different” from that of political entities, reflecting its distinct moral and diplomatic standing rather than economic interests. “I believe the request will not be for financial participation,” the cardinal added.
Vatican Calls for Reducing Global Tensions
Beyond the question of joining the Council, Parolin used the occasion to comment on the broader climate of international relations. Addressing the strained dynamics between the United States and European nations, he warned that “tensions are not healthy and create a climate that aggravates the international situation, which is already serious.”
He urged political leaders to focus on dialogue and de-escalation rather than confrontation: “The important thing would be to eliminate tensions, to debate the points that are controversial, but without getting into arguments or generating tensions.” His comments underscored the Vatican’s long-standing role as a moral interlocutor advocating for cooperation over conflict.
Reference to Davos and International Law
Cardinal Parolin also addressed discussions emerging from the Davos Forum, where President Trump reiterated his firm desire to acquire Greenland. Without direct criticism, the cardinal stressed the centrality of legal frameworks in international affairs. “It is important to respect international law,” he asserted, adding that while “personal feelings are legitimate,” the stability of the global order depends on adhering to shared rules and principles.
As the Holy See deliberates its response, the invitation to the Gaza Peace Council situates the Vatican at a crossroads: whether to endorse a U.S.-led experiment in multilateral peacebuilding outside traditional institutions or to maintain its neutral posture within the existing international order. For now, the Vatican has signaled that discernment, not haste, will guide its next move.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Prensa
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