**Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil –** Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has sharply criticised a new international initiative launched by former US President Donald Trump, labelling it an attempt to establish a "new United Nations" controlled by a single entity. Speaking in Rio Grande do Sul on Friday, Lula expressed profound concern over what he perceives as a growing disregard for the existing UN charter and a dangerous erosion of multilateral cooperation on the global stage.
The controversial proposal, dubbed the "Board of Peace," was unveiled by Trump at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. This move has ignited a firestorm of debate, particularly as the United States, under Trump's previous "America First" foreign policy, has been increasingly withdrawing from various UN bodies and institutions. Lula's condemnation underscores a burgeoning anxiety among many world leaders regarding the future of international governance and the potential fragmentation of global diplomatic efforts.
In his address, Lula passionately defended the principles of multilateralism, lamenting that "the UN charter is being torn." He articulated his belief that Trump's initiative is not aimed at reforming or strengthening the existing international framework but rather at circumventing it entirely. "Instead of fixing the United Nations," Lula posited, "what’s happening? President Trump is proposing to create a new UN where only he is the owner." This sentiment reflects a wider apprehension that such unilateral ventures could undermine decades of diplomatic progress and exacerbate existing geopolitical tensions.
Adding a layer of complexity to the situation, Lula revealed that he had engaged in a telephone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. During their discussion, Xi Jinping reportedly underscored the indispensable role of the United Nations as the cornerstone of international relations. This alignment between Brazil and China on the importance of the UN highlights a growing convergence of views among non-Western powers seeking to preserve the integrity of established global institutions against what they perceive as disruptive unilateralism.
The composition of Trump's "Board of Peace" has also drawn significant scrutiny. Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been listed as a member. This inclusion is particularly contentious given the ongoing international investigations and accusations of war crimes levelled against Netanyahu, as well as the tragic deaths of staff affiliated with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in recent conflict zones. The inclusion of such figures in a body ostensibly focused on peace raises serious questions about its intended purpose and potential effectiveness.
Trump's approach, often characterized by the use of social media platforms to conduct diplomacy and his consistent promotion of protectionist trade policies coupled with implicit military threats, has already alienated many traditional US allies. The emergence of the "Board of Peace" appears to be a further manifestation of this disruptive foreign policy playbook, signalling a potential shift in how international challenges might be addressed, or perhaps ignored, in the future. The implications of this development are far-reaching, potentially fostering an era of heightened international instability and challenging the very foundations of collective security and cooperation that the United Nations was designed to uphold.