U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed Charter of the Board of Peace, as he takes part in a charter announcement for his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, alongside the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump signed the charter of the “Board of Peace,” which he has billed as a body for resolving international conflicts, with other founding members in Davos on Thursday (January 22, 2026).
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A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries — including Mr. Trump’s allies from Argentina and Hungary — gathered on stage with Mr. Trump to put their names to the founding charter of the body.
Mr. Trump — who is the chairman of the Board of Peace — said they were “in most cases very popular leaders, in some cases not so popular. That’s the way it goes in life.”
Originally meant to oversee peace in Gaza after the war between Hamas and Israel, the board’s charter envisions a wider role in resolving international conflicts, sparking concerns that Mr. Trump wants it to rival the United Nations.
Mr. Trump however said the organization would work “in conjunction” with the UN.
The Board of Peace’s potential membership has, however, proved controversial, with Mr. Trump having invited Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine four years ago.
Mr. Trump said Mr. Putin had agreed to join, while the Russian leader said he was still studying the invite.
Permanent members must also pay $1 billion to join, leading to criticisms that the board could become a “pay to play” version of the UN Security Council.
U.K., France snub signing
Key U.S. allies, including France and Britain, have expressed scepticism, with the U.K. saying on Thursday (January 22, 2026) it would not attend the ceremony.
The members on stage largely held close ties to Mr. Trump, including Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Argentina’s Javier Milei, or a wish to show their allegiance to the U.S. president.
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Officials from Bahrain, Morocco, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Mongolia also signed the document with Mr. Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over the war in Gaza, has said he will join but was not at the ceremony.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the ceremony that the board’s focus was “first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.”
Mr. Trump however said Hamas to disarm under the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord or it will be the “end of them.”
The launch of the board comes against the backdrop of Mr. Trump’s frustration at having failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize, despite his disputed claim to have ended eight conflicts.
Published – January 22, 2026 04:44 pm IST
