President Donald Trump recently announced the creation of what he called the “Board of Peace.” In addition to inviting various nations to join, he extended an invitation to Pope Leo as well. However, the spiritual leader reportedly declined — and his response was described as sharply critical.

Trump introduced the initiative as an effort to promote peace in conflict zones such as Gaza. But the reaction was not entirely what he may have anticipated. The proposal requires countries to contribute $1 billion for permanent membership, and several nations — including Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine — chose not to participate.

Meanwhile, countries such as Israel, Argentina, Russia, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia accepted the invitation to join.

When the initiative was unveiled in January, Trump also invited Pope Leo, head of the Roman Catholic Church, to take part. The Vatican has since responded, and according to reports, the Pope firmly rejected the offer.

Pope Leo’s response to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invitation

At first, the Vatican did not respond immediately. In January, officials said Pope Leo was thinking about the invitation and needed time to decide.

Yet now, the Vatican has clearly said it will not take part in Trump’s plan. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomat, said Pope Leo believes situations like the Gaza conflict should be handled by the United Nations, not by a board led by a single country.