Bulgaria

Nickolay Mladenov: the Bulgarian leading the Board of Peace

February 25, 2026Throughout his career, Nickolay Mladenov has often found himself in the eye of the storm.

A former Bulgarian foreign minister and United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process from 2015 to 2020, the Bulgarian diplomat earned the trust of both Israeli and Palestinian leaders by acting as an honest broker who was willing to be critical of all sides in periods of high tension.

Now that Nickolay Mladenov has been designated director-general of President Trump's Board of Peace and High Representative for Gaza, that trust will likely be very valuable indeed.

The job ahead of him is massive: Mladenov is tasked with overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, implementing the US-brokered 20-point peace plan, rebuilding Gaza, disarming Hamas and supporting the transition to a Palestinian technocratic government in the enclave — all while balancing diverse geopolitical interests.

In-depth knowledge of the Middle East

Mladenov began his political career in Bulgaria as a lawmaker for the center-right UDF party. Later, this time running for the center-right GERB party, he became one of Bulgaria's first members of the European Parliament.

He briefly served as Bulgaria's defense minister and subsequently as its foreign minister from 2010 to 2013.

"Nickolay Mladenov was the first [Bulgarian] foreign minister to have such an in-depth knowledge of the Middle East. This was a great opportunity for Bulgaria, because shortly after, the war in Syria began, followed by the Arab Spring," said Vessela Cherneva, deputy director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECtHR), who served as part of Mladenov's bureau while he was foreign minister.

Described by Cherneva as a talented communicator who "doesn't see diplomacy as a bargaining chip," Mladenov expanded Bulgaria's foreign policy and business engagement in the Middle East, strengthening ties with Tunisia, Egypt and Iraq, among others.

In 2012, he faced one of his greatest challenges as foreign minister when a bus driver and five Israeli tourists were killed in a suicide bomb attack at Burgas Airport in southeastern Bulgaria. The terrorist attack — the deadliest in the country's recent history — was later attributed to Hezbollah. In the aftermath, Mladenov cooperated closely with Israeli officials.

A trusted bridge-builder

After his term as Bulgarian foreign minister ended, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made Mladenov the UN's Special Representative for Iraq for two years. After that, Mladenov took on the role of UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

In Jerusalem he quietly built trust with Israeli and Palestinian officials alike, as well as with representatives of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the EU.

In his time as UN envoy, Mladenov worked to de-escalate tension and keep the two-state solution alive. He also championed the US-brokered 2020 Abraham Accords, which brought a normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco and Sudan.

While the Palestinians widely viewed the accords as a betrayal of their cause, Mladenov was convinced that the agreement would bring more stability to the region.

As UN Special Coordinator, he was not afraid to voice criticism of either Israeli or Palestinian actors, condemning killings (including those of children), the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and rockets that hit civilian areas.

"If you as the UN are not clear where you stand on these things, you can't be credible," Mladenov told The New York Times in 2021.

A logical choice for the Board of Peace?

According to Ruslan Trad, a journalist and expert in military conflicts and the Middle East, Mladenov's appointment as director-general of the Board of Peace and High Representative for Gaza was "logical" for those familiar with the regional dynamics.

"Mladenov is the least controversial person for this mission," Trad told DW, adding that Mladenov's reputation among Arab states is positive and is often credited with bringing seemingly irreconcilable sides closer together.

After months of speculation, during which Trump's alleged first choice, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, was rejected by Arab nations, Mladenov's appointment was first announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and later confirmed by the US.

"His experience, but also his contribution to the signing of the 2020 Abraham Accords during President Trump's first term, is likely one of the things that earned the US administration's trust," Vessela Cherneva told DW.

An almost impossible job?

While it is not yet clear how much independence Mladenov will have when it comes to decision-making within the Board of Peace, it is clear that he will be responsible for implementing Phase Two of the ceasefire, which includes the disarmament of "all unauthorized personnel" in Gaza and overseeing its reconstruction and security.

This is likely to prove extremely difficult for many reasons including, to name but a few, the fact that according to Trad, Hamas is still demonstrating a clear intention to remain in political power. Moreover, despite the ceasefire, both parties continue to accuse each other of multiple violations.

Speaking on DW's "Conflict Zone" on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, Mladenov described the peace plan for Gaza as "the only option of going ahead with anything that makes sense in Gaza and that stops this war and doesn't allow a return to violence."

He also stressed that things need to move very fast, saying that the biggest risk right now is that the reality on the ground in Gaza becomes cemented: "not just Gaza being divided from the West Bank and the legitimate Palestinian Authority — it's the division within Gaza itself, split into two zones."

Ruslan Trad also feels that regardless of the goodwill toward Mladenov that stems from his qualities and experience, the fact that his post and mission were created by the current US administration will "hang over him like a cloud."

Mladenov will need to "maintain his reputation as someone who makes decisions based on expertise and not on political pressure," he told DW.

Links to the UAE and pro-EU convictions

Before accepting his new role, Mladenov served as director-general of the UAE-based Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, which trains diplomats and foreign policy decision-makers. This has prompted some to raise concerns about his ties to the UAE's active foreign policy on Gaza and Israel.

At the same time, he is said to be a diplomat with strong pro-EU convictions.

Although most EU member states declined to join the Board of Peace, sending observers instead, the Bulgarian diplomat on Monday met with the bloc's foreign ministers for a briefing to coordinate efforts.

"Europe must and will probably want to participate in the peace process in the Middle East and the stabilization of Gaza and in this sense, the presence of a European, Nickolay Mladenov, as the High Representative for Gaza, should be a really positive factor," said Vessela Cherneva.

Mladenov himself told DW in Munich: "My focus now really is entirely centered on how we can make sure that the tragedy that Gaza is does not continue a day longer than it has until now."

Edited by: Aingeal Flanagan