ISTANBUL

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama dismissed concerns that the Board of Peace is intended to replace the United Nations, saying instead it could help “shake” the global body into action as leaders convened for the first meeting of US President Donald Trump’s initiative Thursday.

Rama thanked Trump for including Albania in the project, and praised his “decisive role in bringing a halt to the heartbreaking conflict in Gaza.”

He underscored Albania’s support for the initiative, citing a “fully aligned bipartisan vote” in parliament as evidence of the country’s commitment to being a founding member.

Addressing criticism in Europe, Rama said, “Many in Europe say the Board of Peace is meant to substitute the United Nations. It does not look to me like an attempt to replace the UN, but if it helps shake that agonizing giant and wake it up, then God bless the Board of Peace.”

Albania “has confirmed its participation in the stabilization force with our troops,” the premier added, urging the board to encourage direct national contributions to humanitarian efforts, including the establishment of a dedicated public facility for Palestinian children.

Rama said Albania’s initiatives are focused on protecting children in the Gaza Strip.

- Albanian PM urges Trump to act over Thaci trial, warns of regional risks

Turning to international legal proceedings, Rama criticized the ongoing trial of former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in The Hague, where Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders face war crimes charges related to the 1998-99 conflict.

He argued that prolonged judicial processes risk undermining regional stability and appealed directly to Trump, saying, “… Let’s do something before, as you say, very bad things might happen again.”

Last week, prosecutors requested a 45-year prison sentence for Thaci after a nearly three-year trial. Rama added, “At this moment, only a few months stand between a man who rose from resistance to ethnic cleansing to become a peacemaker and the potentially devastated outcome in a court that has so far failed at every step to uphold the standards of democratic justice.”