The Kremlin has said that President Vladimir Putin has been invited to join Donald Trump’s ‘board of peace’, a body set up last week to oversee a ceasefire in Gaza. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, told journalists on Monday that Russia was seeking to ‘clarify all the nuances’ of the offer with Washington before responding.
The board, chaired by Trump, includes former UK prime minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. Other leaders invited include those of Argentina, Paraguay, Turkey, Egypt, Canada, Thailand, and Belarus. The UK’s Keir Starmer was reportedly approached but awaited a formal invitation.
The invitation letters include a charter stating the board will ‘solidify peace in the Middle East’ and ‘embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict’. Leaders can serve up to three years unless their government pays $1bn (£745m) for permanent membership. It remains unclear who would receive these payments.
France has said it will decline the invitation, reiterating its attachment to the United Nations charter. A Canadian official said the country would not pay for membership. As of Monday, Hungary and Vietnam have accepted. The inclusion of Putin raises questions about Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.
