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U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to join his newly proposed Board of Peace, an initiative aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump stated, “He was invited. He’s accepted,” when asked about Putin’s involvement.
However, Putin did not publicly confirm the acceptance later that day during a meeting of Russia’s Security Council. Instead, he said Russia would first “consult with our strategic partners” while the Foreign Ministry examines the details of the proposal, raising questions about the certainty of Trump’s claim.
The Board of Peace forms part of Trump’s wider 20-point plan to end the Israel–Hamas war. Under the proposal, the board would oversee Gaza’s political transition and reconstruction. Countries from Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and other regions have reportedly been invited to participate.
The initiative has drawn mixed reactions globally. Critics argue that the Trump-led body, which would reportedly require a $1 billion payment to secure a permanent seat, could operate as a parallel alternative to the United Nations—an institution Trump has frequently criticised.
On January 21, Putin suggested that Russia could use frozen assets to finance the cost of a permanent seat. He said Moscow might allocate $1 billion from Russian funds frozen by the United States under a previous administration, part of an estimated $5 billion blocked following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Trump has not publicly responded to Putin’s suggestion.
According to U.S. officials, the board would temporarily take charge of Gaza’s administration and reconstruction efforts. There have also been discussions about potentially expanding its mandate to other conflict zones, including Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on January 20 that Kyiv is reviewing an invitation to join the board but described participation as “difficult to imagine” if Russia and Belarus are involved.
“Russia is our enemy, Belarus is their ally,” Zelensky told journalists.
Trump had planned to meet Zelensky in Davos, but the Ukrainian leader later cancelled the trip, choosing to remain in Ukraine amid continued Russian strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure.
