By Jonathan Ferreira
The UK has decided not to join US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, citing concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s potential participation. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK had received an invitation but would not be one of the signatories, describing the board as a “legal treaty that raises much broader issues” beyond its initial focus on ending the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. She emphasized that the UK continues to support Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza and remains committed to the second phase of the peace process.
Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel, have confirmed they will join the board, and Trump claimed that Putin had accepted an invitation, though Russia has not confirmed participation. The Board of Peace charter outlines the organisation as an international body tasked with promoting stability, lawful governance, and peace in conflict-affected areas. Founding members named by the White House include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, with additional countries like Pakistan, Qatar, and the Vatican invited to join. Cooper stressed the UK’s reservations over Putin’s role, noting that Russia has shown no willingness to commit to peace in Ukraine.
While the UK remains a staunch supporter of Ukraine and is engaged in broader international discussions with allies, diplomatic tensions have arisen following Trump’s earlier Greenland tariff threats, which he has now dropped. Cooper welcomed the apparent US climbdown on Greenland security and praised constructive proposals from the UK and European allies regarding Arctic security. She reiterated that the UK would continue to engage internationally on peace and security matters but will only join initiatives where all participants demonstrate a genuine commitment to resolving conflicts, particularly in relation to Ukraine and wider global stability.
