UK holds off joining Trump's Board of Peace over Putin concerns
UK Declines to Join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Over Putin Concerns
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed that the United Kingdom will not sign up to US President Donald Trump’s newly established Board of Peace. Speaking from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ms Cooper cited significant reservations regarding the potential involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the broad legal implications of the initiative’s charter.
The Decision to Abstain
While the UK government has voiced support for President Trump’s 20-point initiative to end the conflict in Gaza, it has declined to become a formal signatory of the Board of Peace today.
"We will not be one of the signatories today because this is a legal treaty that raises much more complex issues," Cooper told BBC Breakfast. "We have serious reservations about President Putin being part of a body discussing peace while showing no signs of a commitment to ending the war in Ukraine."
What is the Board of Peace?
The Board of Peace is a new international body championed by the Trump administration. Initially framed as a mechanism to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, its leaked charter suggests a much wider global mandate that some critics argue is intended to rival or bypass the United Nations Security Council.
Key Features of the Board:
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Chairman: Donald Trump holds the position of Chairman for life, with the power to appoint executive members and dissolve subsidiary bodies.
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Permanent Membership: Countries can secure a permanent seat by contributing $1 billion (£740 million); otherwise, members serve renewable three-year terms.
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Executive Board: Notable appointees include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Global Participation and Pushback
While approximately 35 world leaders have committed to the initiative—including representatives from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar—the UK joins other permanent UN Security Council members, such as France and China, in remaining non-committal.
President Trump claimed in Davos that Vladimir Putin had accepted an invitation to join, though the Kremlin has stated it is still "clarifying the nuances" of the offer. This ambiguity, combined with Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, remains a primary sticking point for Western allies.
Arctic Diplomacy: A Separate Success
Despite the friction over the Board of Peace, Ms Cooper praised recent progress regarding Arctic security. After days of tension and threats of 10% tariffs over the status of Greenland, President Trump appears to have de-escalated his position.
Following talks with NATO, the US has dropped its tariff threats against eight European nations. The UK and its allies are now moving forward with "constructive plans" for Arctic Sentry, a coordinated defence strategy for the region.
