Romania’s President Nicusor Dan used his address to the inaugural meeting of Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington to frame Romania as a loyal ally of the United States, while remaining firmly anchored in its European and multilateral commitments.

Romania speaks as an observer, not a decider

Speaking at the gathering in an observer capacity, Dan reminded participants that Romania cannot be a full member of the new body as long as its Charter conflicts with Romania’s obligations as an EU member state. The president pointed out that the Board of Peace members plan to jointly impose sanctions, while Romania is legally bound by the sanctions regime decided in Brussels and cannot sign an arrangement that would breach obligations already undertaken.

He underlined that, after several days of talks with the American side, Bucharest obtained a clearly defined observer status, which allows Romania to be present at the table, to speak and support the process, without sharing legal responsibility for decisions that might contradict EU rules. In Dan’s own framing, this is the only serious way for Romania to balance its strategic partnership with Washington and its role inside the European Union.

Core message: ceasefire, Gaza and international law

Dan’s Washington speech focused on Gaza, the only topic on the agenda for this first Board of Peace meeting. Ahead of the event, he had already announced that he would use the occasion to reaffirm Romania’s firm support for international peace efforts and its openness to participating in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

In line with that promise, his Washington message stressed three key ideas:

• The fighting in Gaza must end through a political, negotiated solution that protects civilians and opens the way for reconstruction.
• Any new mechanism, including the Board of Peace, must complement the framework established by the UN Security Council resolution promoted by the US in November, not replace the UN system.
• Real peace in the region requires both credible security guarantees for Israel and a realistic political horizon for the Palestinians, in the logic of a two‑state outcome.

Dan explicitly linked Romania’s presence in Washington to the diplomatic track opened by the Security Council resolution, saying that the decision to attend is based on supporting the diplomatic process established by that resolution.

Romania’s contribution: from medical evacuations to reconstruction

The Romanian president also used his intervention to list what Bucharest has already done on the Gaza file. Romania has organised emergency medical evacuation operations for wounded civilians from Gaza and has provided humanitarian support to the population there.

Looking forward, Dan signalled that Romania is ready to contribute to post‑conflict reconstruction efforts in the Strip. He stated that Romania will go to Washington to reaffirm its strong support for international peace efforts and its willingness to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza, aiming to position the country not just as a commentator on the conflict, but as a practical contributor to rebuilding.

Repairing trust with Washington through the speech

Beyond Gaza, Dan’s Board of Peace address carried an important subtext about Romania–US relations. In interviews previewing the meeting, he admitted there had been doubts and even mistrust in the American administration after the annulled presidential runoff in December 2024, something he described as far from usual in a democracy.

He argued that Romania’s presence on the Board of Peace helps clarify, once and for all, both diplomatically and publicly, the true bilateral relationship between Romania and the United States. In essence, Dan used his appearance and speech in Washington as a stage to show that the political relationship has stabilised and that Romania remains a predictable partner despite its recent institutional turbulence.

A carefully balanced tone

Throughout his statements surrounding the speech, Nicusor Dan walked a careful line between loyalty to the United States and fidelity to the European and multilateral order. He publicly welcomed Trump’s initiative, describing the Board of Peace as an important effort toward peace, but refused to sign a Charter that could compel Romania to break EU sanctions rules.

At the same time, he grounded Romania’s participation in the authority of the UN Security Council and insisted that any new body must strengthen, not undermine, international law. Overall, his Washington speech presented Romania as an active supporter of peace in Gaza, a willing partner in reconstruction and a bridge between US leadership and European legal and political constraints.