US President Donald Trump has formally launched an initiative known as the “Board of Peace,” an international body he says is designed to address global conflicts, but which has already drawn criticism from Western allies and raised questions about its scope, leadership and relationship with the United Nations, reports Baltimore Chronicle via CNN.
The White House has sent invitations to around 50 countries to join the board, according to US officials, with roughly 35 nations expected to attend a signing ceremony scheduled for Thursday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The initiative, which Trump will chair indefinitely, has struggled to gain broad support among traditional US allies in Europe, while attracting backing from several Middle Eastern monarchies, authoritarian leaders and states with strained relations with the West.
The concept of the Board of Peace was first publicly floated by Trump in September as part of a second phase of a US-brokered, 20-point ceasefire framework for Gaza. That plan received backing from the United Nations Security Council in November, granting international legitimacy to a proposal under which the board would oversee the demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza following Israel’s two-year war in the enclave. Since then, however, the mandate of the board has expanded significantly.
A draft charter obtained by CNN describes the Board of Peace as an international organization intended to promote stability, peace and governance in regions affected by or at risk of conflict worldwide. The document no longer makes any reference to Gaza, marking a shift from the body’s original, narrowly defined purpose. Under the proposed structure, Trump would serve as chairman without a fixed end date, potentially extending beyond his second presidential term.
The charter outlines a hierarchy in which the Board of Peace sits above a founding Executive Board. That executive body would include Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and former UK prime minister Tony Blair.
Several countries have already agreed to participate. Among those accepting Trump’s invitation are the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Argentina and Paraguay. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have also joined, along with Indonesia and Vietnam. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted a place on the board despite expressing anger over the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials on the Gaza-related executive structure and despite facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have also agreed to participate after signing a US-brokered peace agreement last year. That deal included provisions granting the United States exclusive development access to a strategically important transit corridor linking the two countries.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, frequently described by Western governments as Europe’s last dictator and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has also signed up. Trump has acknowledged that some prospective members are controversial, telling CNN that Putin had agreed in principle to join, although the Kremlin has not formally confirmed participation.
Russia and China, both considered strategic adversaries by Washington, were invited to join the Board of Peace and offered permanent seats at a cost of $1 billion. Putin has suggested that Russia could use assets frozen in the United States to cover the fee, a proposal that has intensified concerns among diplomats about how a state actively engaged in a major war could be involved in a peace-focused body.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated his intention to join under certain conditions, stating that key elements of the arrangement, including financial contributions, still need to be negotiated. Carney has previously criticized Trump for undermining the global rules-based order and imposing punitive tariffs.
Other countries have declined or withheld a decision. France and Norway have rejected the invitation, citing unresolved questions about how the Board of Peace would function alongside the United Nations. China has confirmed it received an invitation but has not announced whether it will participate. A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said Beijing remains committed to safeguarding an international system centered on the UN.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly questioned the idea of joining a council that could include Russia and Belarus, describing Russia as Ukraine’s enemy and Belarus as its ally. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said potential constitutional obstacles could prevent Italy from joining and confirmed she would not attend the Davos signing ceremony. Ireland’s Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said the government would give the proposal careful consideration.
Concerns surrounding the Board of Peace extend beyond its membership. Member states would initially serve three-year terms, after which they would be required to pay $1 billion to secure permanent status. According to a US official, the funds would be directed toward the reconstruction of Gaza, though critics have warned that such a financial structure could be vulnerable to corruption.
Trump has further fueled unease by suggesting the board “might” replace the United Nations, an institution founded 80 years ago to maintain international peace and security. While the draft charter does not explicitly name the UN, it refers to institutions that have “too often failed,” echoing Trump’s long-standing criticism of the organization.
The United Nations’ top humanitarian official and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said the Board of Peace would not replace the UN, stating that the organization remains central to the international system despite the emergence of alternative forums proposed by individual states.
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