US President Donald Trump continues to recruit world leaders to his Board of Peace (BoP), as more than ten countries have signed on to President Trump’s council for Gaza. At this stage, only some of the participating countries have issued public statements confirming that their leaders will join the council, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Morocco, Hungary, and Canada.
“UAE President Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized that the United Arab Emirates’ decision reflects the importance of fully implementing President Donald J. Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which constitutes a critical step toward realizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” said a statement released by the Emirati Foreign Ministry. “Sheikh bin Zayed reaffirmed the UAE’s readiness to actively contribute to the mission of the BoP, which supports broader cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all.”
In a move that raised more than a few eyebrows, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko -often referred to as Europe’s last dictator- announced that he had said “yes” to President Trump’s invitation to join the BoP. This development prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to say that although Ukraine received an invitation, it would likely decline.
“We have received the invitation to the BoP. Our diplomats are working on it,” Zelensky said. “Frankly, Russia, which was invited to the BoP, is our enemy. Belarus, which is joining, is Moscow’s ally. It is very difficult for me to imagine how we and Russia could sit together in any kind of council. And this is not specific to this BoP. Russia is interested in a war council.”
More than 60 nations invited to Trump's Board of Peace
The United States has sent more than 60 invitations to heads of state to join the forum. Some diplomats claim Trump is trying to form a UN of his own. So far, European countries are signaling a lack of enthusiasm. The United Kingdom and Poland have already announced that they are “still considering” the invitation, while France has stated that President Emmanuel Macron has no interest in joining.
“At this stage, we do not intend to respond positively,” said a senior French official. “The council goes beyond the narrow framework of Gaza alone. It raises fundamental questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which cannot under any circumstances be called into question.”
President Trump is scheduled to hold a formal signing ceremony establishing the council on Thursday during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Western diplomats told The Jerusalem Post that all other Gaza-related initiatives are on hold pending the BoP announcement. “The composition of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), the conference of chiefs of staff of the participating countries, the first meeting of the Gaza Executive Board, and numerous other issues-everything is waiting for Thursday’s announcement,” the sources said.