US President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to join his newly formed “Board of Peace,” a US-led body that will oversee the demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza. The invitation was confirmed on Monday by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a regular media briefing in Moscow.
“President Putin also received through diplomatic channels an invitation to join this Board of Peace,” Peskov told reporters.He added that Moscow has not yet made a decision. “The Kremlin is now reviewing the invitation and hoping to get more details from the US side,” he said.
What is the ‘Board of Peace’?
The Board of Peace is a United States-led intergovernmental organisation established in January 2026 to promote stability, lawful governance and long-term peace in conflict-affected regions. The body was proposed by Trump in September 2025 and formally announced on January 15, 2026. It later received backing from the UN Security Council through Resolution 2803 in November 2025.
The board’s first and primary focus is Gaza, which has been devastated by nearly two years of war between Israel and the Hamas militant group. Trump has described the panel as “the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled.”
Role in Gaza’s reconstruction
The board will oversee Gaza’s post-war administration, demilitarisation and economic recovery. According to its charter, the organisation aims to move faster than existing UN mechanisms, which Trump has criticised as inefficient. Member states will take decisions through voting, and participation in missions will not be mandatory. However, Gaza is the initial focus, the Board of Peace is designed to take on a broader global role in future conflict zones.
Several world leaders have already confirmed receiving invitations to join the board. These include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Other leaders invited include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.According to AP News, Hungary, India, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus and Pakistan have also confirmed invitations.
$1bn price tag for permanent seats
According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration wants participating nations to commit major financial resources. The report, citing a draft charter, said countries may be required to pay $1 billion to retain a permanent seat on the board. The US government has not officially confirmed the funding requirement. On Saturday, the US released the names of the members who will sit on the founding Executive Board, which will manage the board’s day-to-day operations.
The list includes Tony Blair, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and businessman Steve Witkoff. The Executive Board is subordinate to the larger Board of Peace chaired by Trump. If confirmed, Putin’s participation would likely draw international scrutiny, given Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
The conflict, which is nearing its four-year anniversary in February, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. Israel has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with how the Board of Peace is being formed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement on Friday saying, “the announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy.” Israel has not indicated whether it plans to formally engage with the board.