German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) will not attend the founding ceremony of U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council” on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. A government spokesperson said this at the federal press conference on Wednesday.
The spokesperson gave scheduling reasons. Merz will depart from Davos immediately after his speech on Thursday morning, as related preparatory talks are scheduled to take place in Brussels.
It remains unclear whether Germany will accept Trump’s invitation to become a member state of the institution. The German government said that a unified European position is being worked out.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron had already declined the invitation. Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot explained that the council’s charter goes beyond the United Nations‑backed peace plan for Gaza, and he demanded adherence to UN principles and structure. In response, Trump threatened a 200‑percent tariff on French wine and champagne.
The group was originally intended to focus on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. According to the charter of the “Peace Council” Gaza is apparently no longer mentioned. Instead, the charter states that lasting peace requires moving away from approaches and institutions that have failed too often, according to the Times of Israel. Trump is set to serve as the inaugural chair of the council, independent of his presidency and without a term limit.
In that capacity, Trump would have veto power and decide the agenda and composition of the executive council. The council is initially said to include Jared Kushner (Trump’s son‑in‑law), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, CEO of Apollo Global Management Marc Rowan, and Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel. Countries can become member states of the so‑called “Peace Council” only if they are invited and pay a one‑billion‑dollar fee.