Poland and Italy said they will not join the "Board of Peace" led by U.S. President Donald Trump.
With major U.S. allies successively declaring they will not take part, caution is spreading.
On the 11th, Reuters reported that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a cabinet meeting, "Given national concerns about the form of the board, we will not, for now, participate in the activities of the Board of Peace."
However, Tusk added, "Relations with the United States remain a top priority," and "If conditions change to make participation possible, no scenario is off the table."
Tusk is set to convene a National Security Council (NSC) meeting with President Karol Nawrocki on the day to discuss the Board of Peace issue.
Italy also formalized its decision not to participate on the same day. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview with Sky TG24, "There is an insurmountable barrier under the Italian Constitution, so we cannot join the Board of Peace." He said, "We are ready to cooperate in reconstruction efforts to ensure peace in the Middle East."
The Italian Constitution presumes equal status among member states when joining an international organization. But the Italian government views the current Board of Peace rules, which grant President Trump broad executive authority, as failing to meet that requirement.
The Board of Peace was initially proposed to cement a Gaza cease-fire, but Trump aims to expand it into a mechanism to resolve global conflicts.
Some have raised concerns that the body could become a competitor to the United Nations (UN).
In particular, the invitation extended to Russia and Belarus as participants was also said to have influenced Western countries' cautious stance.
Earlier, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked Trump last month to amend the board's rules to allow Italy to participate.