EU Diplomats Confront Controversy Over Trump's Gaza Peace Board

EU diplomats are meeting in Brussels to discuss the Trump-connected Board of Peace and its plans for Gaza reconstruction. The board's embrace by EU members has caused division, affecting EU unity on key issues like the Ukraine war and Russian sanctions. Tensions continue over adhering to EU laws.

In Brussels, the European Union's top diplomats are navigating through tensions concerning Donald Trump's Board of Peace. This meeting with Nikolay Mladenov, the board's director, comes at a time when the EU's response to U.S. Gaza efforts is fracturing the union's approach to foreign policy.

The department of foreign policy, led by EU chief Kaja Kallas, is expected to bolster its stance on the ongoing Ukraine war and enforce stricter sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, the union's role in Middle Eastern peace, specifically its operations at the Rafah border crossing, remains a pivotal point of discussion.

Contention arises over the level of engagement EU should have with the Trump-led initiative, with nations like Hungary and Bulgaria participating, while others have settled on observer status. The board's ambitions, which aim for transformative governance in Gaza, face skepticism and are likely to be moderated by realities on the ground.

(With inputs from agencies.)