British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said that the UK is not currently joining US President Donald Trump's Peace Council because of concerns about the possible involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Cooper told the BBC that the UK had been invited to join but would not sign up at the Davos event.
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The board is being presented by the US government as a new international organization that will be established to resolve conflicts. As chairman of this board, Trump will have broad powers. According to Cooper, this is not a plan limited to the war in Gaza, but a legal agreement that touches on broader global issues.
The charter text does not directly mention Palestine or Gaza, and critics say the body could replace some of the UN's roles. Some of America's traditional allies have also not yet agreed to join. Notably, the other permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, France, Russia and Britain - have not yet agreed.
During the signing ceremony in Davos, Trump said that this is not a replacement for the United Nations, but a new path to building lasting peace in the Middle East. Trump said that this institution can become one of the most important platforms in the world and give Gaza a new start through demilitarized good governance and reconstruction.
Trump said that when the board is fully established, it will have considerable authority, but this work will be done in cooperation with the United Nations. The ceremony was attended by leaders of nineteen countries, including Argentina, Hungary, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, etc. Trump also said that he has invited President Putin and that he is considering it.
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However, the Russian president did not confirm this and said that the invitation is being reviewed. According to Russian media, the US government has suggested that frozen Russian assets in the US could also be used for the board, which will be discussed further later.
Speaking to the BBC, Cooper said the UK supports Trump's Gaza peace plan and is ready to play a role in the second phase. But he made it clear that the reason for not signing the agreement at this time is that it is a legal agreement and there are also concerns about Putin's involvement because the Russian aggression in Ukraine continues and Putin has shown no serious desire for peace.
Relations between the US and the UK are currently tense as Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Europe and talked about US sovereignty over Greenland. However, now Trump has backed down and is talking about negotiations on the Greenland issue. Cooper described it as positive.
British ministers are increasingly concerned about Putin's role, as Britain is a major supporter of Ukraine and is working with France on security measures for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky are also expected to meet in Davos. Trump claims that Putin and Zelensky could be close to peace.
The Peace Board's initial plan was focused on rebuilding Gaza and a new administrative structure, but the leaked document suggests that the charter has broader goals for global peace and reconstruction. It states that a country that contributes $1 billion can also get a permanent seat, and Trump will be both the chairman of the organization and the US representative.
Last week, the White House also released the names of the initial executive members of the board, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff,Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Now, a few more countries are joining, including Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar, while the Pope has also been invited.