US President Donald Trump on Thursday launched his new “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, unveiling a body that charges a $1 billion membership fee and features a controversial list of invitees.
Trump presided over a signing ceremony attended by leaders and senior officials from 19 countries, including close allies from Argentina and Hungary, who signed the founding charter of the organisation.
As chairman of the Board of Peace, Trump described the participants as “in most cases very popular leaders, in some cases not so popular,” adding that such differences were part of life.
Although the board was initially conceived to oversee peace in Gaza following the war between Israel and Hamas, its charter assigns it a broader mandate to resolve international conflicts. This has raised concerns that Trump intends the body to rival the United Nations, a claim he denied, saying the organisation would work “in conjunction” with the UN.
The proposed membership has sparked controversy, particularly after Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said Putin had agreed to join, although the Russian leader said he was still considering the invitation. Permanent members are also required to pay $1 billion, prompting criticism that the board could become a “pay-to-play” version of the UN Security Council.
Key US allies, including Britain and France, declined to attend the ceremony. The UK confirmed on Thursday that it would not participate. Those who appeared on stage largely maintained close political ties with Trump or sought to demonstrate loyalty to the US president.
Officials from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Mongolia signed the charter alongside Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the Gaza war, has said he will join the board but did not attend the ceremony. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the board would focus primarily on ensuring that any Gaza peace deal becomes lasting.
Trump warned that Hamas must disarm under the next phase of the ceasefire agreement or face severe consequences. The launch of the board comes amid Trump’s long-standing frustration at failing to secure a Nobel Peace Prize, despite his claim to have ended eight conflicts.
Later on Thursday, Trump was scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos to discuss a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. The inclusion of Putin in the board has unsettled US allies, particularly Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said talks with Moscow had made significant progress and were now focused on resolving a single outstanding issue. He added that he would travel to Moscow briefly before heading to Abu Dhabi for military-level discussions.
Zelensky has expressed concern that Trump’s renewed push over Greenland could distract from efforts to end Russia’s invasion. However, Trump said he had reached a “framework of a future deal” with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, prompting him to waive tariffs on European allies that were due to take effect on February 1.