US President Donald Trump on Thursday formally launched his new “Board of Peace” in Davos, unveiling the initiative with a signing ceremony for a body that requires a $1 billion membership fee and has already drawn criticism over its choice of invitees.
Leaders and senior officials from 19 countries joined Trump on stage to endorse the founding charter of the board, including close allies from Argentina and Hungary. Trump, who will serve as chairman of the Board of Peace, described the participants as largely popular leaders, noting that public opinion naturally varies.
Although the initiative was initially conceived to help oversee peace efforts in Gaza following the war between Israel and Hamas, the charter outlines a far broader mandate to intervene in resolving global conflicts. This has fuelled speculation that Trump intends the board to emerge as a rival to the United Nations. The US president, however, dismissed such concerns, insisting the body would operate “in conjunction” with the UN rather than compete with it.
The proposed membership of the Board of Peace has generated significant controversy, particularly following Trump’s invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine began nearly four years ago. Trump said Putin had agreed to participate, although the Russian leader later indicated he was still considering the offer.
Critics have also questioned the board’s structure, pointing to the requirement that permanent members pay $1 billion to join. Opponents argue this could turn the body into a “pay-to-play” alternative to the UN Security Council.
Several key US allies have kept their distance. Britain and France expressed reservations about the initiative, with the UK confirming it would not attend the signing ceremony.
Most of the leaders present in Davos were either close to Trump politically or keen to demonstrate loyalty to his administration. Among those who signed the charter were representatives from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over the Gaza war, has said he intends to join the board but was absent from the ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the board’s immediate priority was ensuring that the Gaza peace agreement becomes lasting. Trump, however, struck a tougher tone, warning that Hamas must disarm under the next phase of the ceasefire or face destruction.
The launch of the Board of Peace comes amid Trump’s long-standing frustration at failing to secure a Nobel Peace Prize, despite his repeated claims of having resolved multiple global conflicts.
The inclusion of Putin has heightened unease among US allies, particularly in Ukraine, which continues to seek an end to Russia’s invasion. Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos following the ceremony to discuss a possible ceasefire, a deal that has so far remained elusive.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who is expected to travel to Moscow later on Thursday to meet Putin, said negotiations to end the war had made “significant progress” and were now focused on a single unresolved issue. He declined to provide details but said the matter was solvable.
Witkoff added that he and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would not stay overnight in Moscow, instead heading straight to Abu Dhabi for what he described as “military-to-military” talks.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has expressed concern that Trump’s controversial push to assert control over Greenland — a topic dominating discussions at Davos — could distract from efforts to address Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Trump said late Wednesday that he had reached a “framework for a future deal” after meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, adding that he would suspend planned tariffs on European allies scheduled to take effect on February 1. He offered few details, prompting cautious optimism among European leaders. A source familiar with the talks said the agreement could involve renegotiating the 1951 Greenland defence pact.