Britain will not sign up to Donald Trump's 'board of peace' on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed, citing concerns over Russian involvement. The US president's initiative aims to oversee a ceasefire and reconstruction in Gaza, but critics view it as an alternative to the UN.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Cooper said the UK strongly supports Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza but will not be a signatory to the legal treaty at this stage. 'We do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,' she added.
The Kremlin announced on Monday that Vladimir Putin had been invited to join the board and is seeking to clarify the offer with Washington. Trump claimed at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Putin had accepted the invitation.
The board, chaired by Trump, includes former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other figures. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel have agreed to join. Cooper emphasised that the UK will continue international discussions with allies.
