International Merz rejects Trump's "peace council" - in its current form
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has rejected joining US President Donald Trump's "Peace Council" in its current form, but has expressed his openness in principle to new formats for talks with the USA. "We are of course prepared to try out other forms, new forms of cooperation with the United States of America," he said at a press conference after the German-Italian government consultations.
23.01.2026, 17:58
SDA
Trump had founded a "Peace Council" in Davos, which is seen by many Europeans as competition to the United Nations and is therefore rejected. Contrary to original expectations, it is not a body that is exclusively dedicated to monitoring a peace process in the Gaza Strip.
Rejection "for constitutional reasons"
Merz emphasized that he had already declared his personal willingness to participate in such a committee to Trump weeks ago. However, Germany could not accept what has now become of it in its current structures "for constitutional reasons".
"New formats" possible for peace
Nevertheless, Germany is willing to cooperate with the USA when it comes to "finding new formats that bring us closer to peace in different regions of the world", emphasized Merz. "And I don't want to limit that to Gaza and the Middle East. It can of course also be Ukraine."
