US President Donald Trump's initiative to create a "Peace Council" has faced Greece and a number of European countries with difficult decisions, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy, institutional role and relationship of this new structure with the United Nations.

The Peace Council was initially envisaged as part of the Gaza peace plan and was included in UN Security Council Resolution 2803. In this form, it was accepted, albeit with reservations, by all countries that participated in the Sharm el-Sheikh Conference. However, the situation changed radically when the invited governments received the documents accompanying the invitation, which included the Council’s statute – a text that, according to many diplomats, has no connection with the initial initiative for Gaza.

According to its charter, the “Peace Council” is neither limited to Gaza nor to a set timeframe, but aims to operate globally, presenting itself as an alternative – even competitive – structure to the UN itself. This has raised strong concerns about its legitimacy and institutional status. France has been at the forefront of criticism, while Germany and Norway have moved in the same direction, already declining the invitation.

The dilemma for many countries is clear: on the one hand, a rejection of the invitation is expected to be negatively perceived by President Trump, with possible consequences for bilateral relations; on the other hand, accepting it would mean legitimizing an unclear process, which could be used in unpredictable ways and lead to a further weakening of the UN's role.

According to sources, Donald Trump has already secured the participation of at least ten countries, with the aim of officially announcing the formation of the Peace Council in Davos. Countries said to have accepted the invitation include Hungary, Bahrain, Morocco, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, Albania, and possibly Armenia and Kazakhstan. Canada is reported to welcome the invitation, but has made it clear that it will not pay the $1 billion that the US president is asking for a permanent seat on the Council, an amount that is unlikely to be paid by other countries.

Meanwhile, Turkey, despite initial enthusiasm after receiving the invitation, has yet to give an official response. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where they discussed both the formation of the Council and developments in Syria, as part of Ankara's efforts to change the US stance towards its Kurdish allies.

According to the founding charter, obtained by AFP, the Council will be chaired by Donald Trump and will be presented as an international organization with the aim of “promoting stability, restoring credible and legitimate governance, and ensuring lasting peace in areas affected by or threatened by conflict.” Trump will have a dual role, as president of the Council and as representative of the United States.

The President of the Council shall hold office for life, with veto power over all decisions, and may be replaced only in the event of voluntary resignation or incapacity. The members of the Executive Council shall be elected by him and shall serve for two-year terms, subject to dismissal by the President himself.

Membership in the Council is expected to be for three years, but this does not apply to countries that pay $1 billion within the first year of operation, thus securing a permanent seat. According to AFP, the Executive Council will be made up of seven members closely associated with Trump, including Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, Mark Rowan, Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel, fueling criticism that a kind of "personal UN" of the American president is being created.

Against this backdrop, Europe is faced with a decision that is expected to have long-term consequences, not only for relations with the US, but also for the architecture of the international order.