The Kremlin has announced that Vladimir Putin has been invited to join Donald Trump's newly formed 'board of peace', established last week to oversee a ceasefire in Gaza. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is seeking to clarify all the nuances of the offer with Washington before responding.
The board, chaired by Trump, includes former British prime minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. Invitations have also been sent to leaders of Argentina, Paraguay, Turkey, Egypt, Canada, Thailand, and Belarus. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was reportedly approached last week but awaits a formal invitation.
According to a charter accompanying the invitations, the board aims to 'solidify peace in the Middle East' and 'embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict'. National leaders may serve a maximum of three years, unless their governments pay $1bn (£745m) for permanent membership. It remains unclear who would receive these payments.
France has indicated it will decline the offer, citing the board's broader aspirations beyond Gaza. A Canadian official said the country would not pay for membership. As of Monday evening, Hungary and Vietnam had confirmed acceptance.
Putin's inclusion raises questions about Trump's approach to the Ukraine conflict, given longstanding suspicions that he leans in favour of the Russian president. The invitation has yet to be confirmed by Washington.
