On January 22, during the Davos International Economic Forum in Switzerland, the “Board of Peace” led by American President Trump was officially established. White House officials stated that approximately 35 countries have agreed to join. Leaders and representatives from 13 countries, including Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán, Argentine President Mile, and Indonesian President Subianto, participated in the signing ceremony.
President Trump expressed in his speech that it was a “very exciting day, after a long time of preparation.” He mentioned that he had resolved eight wars since taking office, and stated that the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is “almost over,” with Hezbollah in Lebanon being “residual.” He said, “They are just left with small flames. We can easily extinguish them.”
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, he stated that another reconciliation “will come soon,” adding, “I thought it would be as simple as the others, but it may end up being the most difficult.”
He also touched upon Iran, saying that the U.S. strike on the country’s nuclear facilities last summer “destroyed” their nuclear capabilities. He said, “Iran does want to negotiate, and they will negotiate.”
The concept of the Board of Peace was initially proposed by the White House as a part of rebuilding Gaza and designing its future governance. However, the White House later planned to make it an institution to promote broader peace.
President Trump stated that the Board of Peace will first focus on Gaza and then expand globally. He said, “I believe that with our success in Gaza, we can expand to other matters… We can do many other things. Once this committee is fully established, we can almost do anything we want.”
He also mentioned working “in cooperation” with the United Nations, stating, “I believe that the Board of Peace, combined with all of us here present, along with the United Nations, can bring very unique things to the world.”
The White House sent invitations to 60 countries, with approximately 35 agreeing to join, according to an unnamed U.S. government official. Some countries have declined or are still considering.
Countries joining include United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Argentina, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite being displeased with the participation of Turkey and Qatar, also agreed to join. Armenia and Azerbaijan, who reached a ceasefire last year through President Trump’s mediation, have also joined.
Surprisingly, Belarusian President Lukashenko also joined, despite facing EU sanctions for being a staunch ally of Russia.
Canadian Prime Minister Kenny intends to join under certain conditions, with his conditions not yet disclosed.
France and Norway have declined to join, questioning how the Board of Peace will coordinate with the United Nations. China received an invitation but has not yet made a statement.
Ukrainian President Zelensky stated it is difficult to imagine “coexisting in any commission” with Russia, stating, “The problem is that Russia is our enemy, and Belarus is their ally.”
Italian Prime Minister Meloni expressed concerns about constitutional issues with joining, stating she would not participate in the signing ceremony. Irish Foreign Minister Macken said she will “carefully consider” the invitation.
Peace Committee’s charter, as disclosed by Israeli media, aims to become a “more flexible and effective international peace-building institution,” with the goal of promoting stability, restoring reliable and legitimate governance, and ensuring enduring peace in conflict-affected or threatened areas.
The charter stipulates that “the term of office for each member country shall not exceed three years from the effective date of this charter, and can be renewed by the chair.” However, member countries providing one billion dollars in cash funding to the committee within a year of the charter’s effectiveness will not be subject to time restrictions.
The charter specifies that President Trump will serve as the first chairman of the committee, possessing absolute power to “create, modify, or dissolve affiliated entities.”
The entire charter does not mention Gaza. Just hours before President Trump unveiled the Board of Peace, the UK announced that, though invited, they would not be a “signatory country today,” citing concerns about Russia’s potential participation.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated the UK strongly supports President Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza war and will discuss with allies the “different roles of support” they can play in the Gaza peace process, but there is “a lot of work still to be done.”
She said, “We will not be a signatory country today because this is a legal treaty addressing broader issues. We are also concerned about Putin’s participation in discussions on peace as we have not seen any signs from Putin regarding peace promises in Ukraine.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already received an invitation to join the Board of Peace. The Kremlin stated that Moscow is still consulting with its “strategic partners” to decide whether to commit to the plan.