United States President, Donald Trump, on Thursday unveiled his controversial new “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, launching the body with a signing ceremony and a hefty $1 billion membership requirement.
Leaders and senior officials from 19 countries joined Trump on stage to endorse the board’s founding charter, among them close allies such as Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Trump, who will serve as chairman of the Board of Peace, described the signatories as a mixed group of leaders.
“They were in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular. That’s the way it goes in life,” he said.
Although initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee peace in Gaza following the war between Hamas and Israel, the charter outlines a broader mandate to help resolve global conflicts.
This expanded scope has raised concerns among critics that the initiative could challenge the authority of the United Nations.
Trump dismissed such fears, insisting the board would operate “in conjunction” with the UN.
However, controversy has followed the project, particularly over Trump’s invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces invaded Ukraine four years ago.
Trump said Putin had accepted the offer, while the Kremlin leader noted he was still reviewing the invitation.
The requirement that permanent members contribute $1 billion has also drawn criticism, with opponents warning the board risks becoming a “pay to play” alternative to the UN Security Council.
UK, France decline participation
Several key US allies have kept their distance. Britain and France both expressed reservations, with the UK confirming it would not take part in the signing ceremony.
Those who did attend largely maintain close relationships with Trump or sought to demonstrate loyalty to Washington. Officials from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Mongolia also signed the charter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant linked to the Gaza conflict, has indicated his intention to join the board but was absent from the ceremony.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the board’s priority was “first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.”
Trump, however, warned that Hamas must disarm in the next phase of the ceasefire or face annihilation, saying it would be the “end of them.”
The board’s launch comes amid Trump’s well-known frustration over his failure to secure a Nobel Peace Prize, despite his disputed claims of having resolved eight international conflicts.
Trump-Zelensky meeting ahead
Putin’s potential inclusion has alarmed several US allies, particularly Ukraine, as it continues to seek an end to Russia’s nearly four-year invasion.
Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos following the ceremony to discuss a ceasefire — a breakthrough that has so far eluded the US leader.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said negotiations with Moscow had advanced significantly. “I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable,” Witkoff said, without elaborating.
Witkoff added that he and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would not remain overnight in Moscow, instead traveling directly to Abu Dhabi for “military to military” discussions.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has expressed concern that Trump’s controversial push to seize Greenland, a dominant topic at Davos, could distract from efforts to confront Russia’s aggression.
Trump said late Wednesday that he had reached a “framework of a future deal” following talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, adding that he would suspend tariffs set to take effect against European allies on February 1.
He offered no further details, prompting cautious optimism across Europe. A source close to the discussions told AFP that renegotiation of a 1951 Greenland defence agreement would form part of the proposed deal.
