Britain will not sign up to Donald Trump's 'board of peace' on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed, citing concerns over Russian President Vladimir Putin's involvement. The board, announced last week, aims to oversee a ceasefire and reconstruction in Gaza, but critics view it as a rival to the United Nations.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Cooper stated: 'We won't be one of the signatories today.' She explained that the decision relates to a legal treaty raising broader issues and expressed unease about Putin's participation given the lack of commitment to peace in Ukraine. '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 Putin had been invited to join the board, with Trump claiming at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Putin had accepted. However, a Kremlin spokesperson said Russia was seeking to 'clarify all the nuances' of the offer before responding. The board's founding executive board includes Trump as chair, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and others. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel have agreed to join.
Cooper emphasised that the UK strongly supports Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza but will continue international discussions with allies. Meanwhile, Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos on Thursday as talks to end the war in Ukraine continue. In a speech on Wednesday, Trump said 'we're reasonably close' to a deal, urging both sides to reach an agreement.
