2 hours ago
Last Updated:January 22, 2026, 02:52 IST
Trump’s plan, initially linked to Gaza’s rebuilding, has drawn criticism over its scope and ambition.
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive to hold a joint press conference after participating in a US-Russia summit on Ukraine at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. (IMAGE: AFP FILE)
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had accepted an invitation to join his proposed “Board of Peace", even as the Kremlin said it was still examining the offer and had not taken a decision.
“He was invited, he’s accepted. Many people have accepted," Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, referring to the loosely defined grouping of world leaders.
Asked about criticism that the initiative involved outreach to non-democratic figures, Trump said some members were “controversial".
“If I put all babies on the board, it wouldn’t be very much," he added.
In Moscow, however, Putin struck a cautious tone, saying Russia had merely begun reviewing the proposal.
“The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners," Putin said during a televised government meeting. “It is only after that we’ll be able to reply to the invitation."
Putin said Russia could pay the one billion dollars being sought for permanent membership using Russian assets frozen under the previous US administration.
He added that the frozen funds could also be used “to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine".
Invitations to join Trump’s “Board of Peace" have been sent to dozens of world leaders, with a request for a one billion dollar contribution for a permanent seat, according to details shared by the organisers.
The initiative was initially presented as a mechanism to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. However, its charter does not appear to limit its mandate to the territory and has fuelled concerns that it could rival existing multilateral institutions, including the United Nations.
Some US allies, including France, have voiced unease over the proposal’s scope and structure.
First Published:
January 22, 2026, 02:52 IST
News world ‘He’s Accepted’: Trump Claims Putin Joined Board Of Peace, Russian President Says Reviewing Invite
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