US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to join his so-called “Board of Peace.”“He was invited, he’s accepted. Many people have accepted,” Trump told reporters in Davos, Switzerland, referring to his loosely defined group of world leaders.When asked about criticism that he is reaching out to non-democratic figures, Trump said some were “controversial” but added, “if I put all babies on the board, it wouldn’t be very much.”The Kremlin has not confirmed participation, saying it is still studying the invitation.
What is Trump’s Board of Peace?
Trump’s Board of Peace is a new international initiative first announced earlier in January that aims to oversee the transition to peace and reconstruction in Gaza and potentially address more global conflicts. The board was created under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, and Trump said its purpose is to “promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” Trump has described the Board of Peace as possibly replacing or supplementing the role of the United Nations in global peace efforts.The body is chaired by Trump and includes senior figures such as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner, and others. Invitations have been extended to around 60 countries, with several, including Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Hungary, accepting. Many governments are still reviewing the proposal, and some traditional allies have expressed concern about its mandate and relationship with the UN.
