UK declines to attend Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ signing in Davos, citing Putin’s involvement
Britain will not take part in the signing ceremony for U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” on Wednesday in Davos, citing “concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.
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Trump is hosting the launch of the new forum on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, pitching it as a vehicle to resolve international conflicts. The White House says about 35 countries — including Israel, Turkey, Hungary and Egypt — have committed to join.
The initiative has attracted swift pushback. Several governments and diplomats warn the project could undercut the United Nations’ central role in conflict resolution. Permanent membership carries a $1 billion (€855 million) fee, a price tag that has sharpened criticism and raised legal and political questions in European capitals. Ireland is still weighing its response.
Within the European Union, only Hungary — led by Trump ally Viktor Orban — has publicly said yes. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signaled she would not immediately sign, saying doing so could pose legal risks. France, Sweden, Norway and Slovenia have also said they will not join for now, amid concerns about duplicating or supplanting existing international structures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, seen as the most controversial invitee, said he is considering the proposal and indicated he would be prepared to pay the $1 billion membership fee using frozen Russian funds — a move likely to face strong resistance from Ukraine and its allies.
Putin said he would meet Wednesday with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have been tasked with seeking a path toward ending Russia’s nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine. He said discussions would include possible use of frozen Russian assets in connection with recovery work in war-affected regions. “This possibility is also under discussion with representatives of the U.S. administration,” Russian news agencies quoted him as saying.
Putin added he would discuss the use of the assets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is scheduled to meet him today.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is traveling to Davos for a meeting with Trump, according to his adviser, positioning Kyiv at the center of a flurry of high-stakes diplomacy as Washington, Moscow and European capitals size up the “Board of Peace” and its implications for the UN-led system.
The UK’s decision to skip the signing underscores the broader unease among some Western allies about legitimizing a forum that includes Russia while its war in Ukraine continues. It also highlights a split-screen moment in Davos: a high-profile rollout backed by a roster of governments, and a mounting chorus warning that new architecture for peace could fragment — rather than strengthen — international conflict resolution.
Additional reporting by Reuters
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
