European doubts grow over joining Board of Peace
A number of US’s traditional allies in Europe have either not responded to the invitation or have outright declined.
There are a few reasons for this. Some, like France, say that the remit of this board has been broadened so much that it could overshadow the United Nations.
Then there’s the fact that Putin has been invited to sit on this board, and that is unpalatable to many Europeans because of the war in Ukraine.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the UK had reservations about Putin being part of an institution trying to achieve peace when, in her words, he has shown little commitment to achieving peace in Ukraine.
But there are political reasons, too. It costs about a billion dollars to join this board. This is something that these leaders would have to sell to their taxpayers back home. This would be difficult, particularly in nations that have a slowing economy.
EU top diplomat says ‘Board of Peace’ should focus on Gaza
If Trump’s “Board of Peace” is narrowed down to focus on Gaza, European leaders can work with the plan, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said.
“We want to work for the peace in the Middle East, and we want this Board of Peace to be limited to the UN Security Council resolution as it was foreseen,” Kallas said before a summit of EU leaders where Trump’s proposal was among items to be discussed.
“So if we narrow it down to Gaza like it was meant to be, then we can work with it.”
Kallas couldn't care less about Gaza and Palestinians in general. Just keep Trump's band of war criminals playing in that sandbox.
Board of Peace lays bare a brazen disregard for international law and human rights’
The “establishment of the so-called global ‘Board of Peace’ lays bare a brazen disregard for international law and human rights”, says Amnesty International.
“It also represents a stark new manifestation of the escalating assault on United Nations mechanisms, international justice institutions and universal norms,” it added in a statement.
“It is a slap in the face of decades of efforts to strengthen global governance through adherence to universal values and greater equality between member states and derails legitimate efforts to address the current system’s limitations and gaps.”
Today’s ceremony marking the establishment of the so-called global ‘Board of Peace’ lays bare a brazen disregard for international law and human rights.
It also represents a stark new manifestation of the escalating assault on United Nations mechanisms, international justice…
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) January 22, 2026
