Putin Ready To Accept Membership Of Trump’s “Board Of Peace” Initiative

Moscow is ready to contribute to US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ initiative, President Vladimir Putin told the Russian Security Council on Wednesday (January 21). He suggested donating the required US$1 billion membership fee to the body out of the Russian assets frozen in the US to support the recovery of the Palestinian enclave.

The initiative envisages an international council to manage funding, security, and political coordination in Gaza during a transitional period following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and will work alongside a Palestinian technocratic administration. Trump came up with the idea after the US brokered the truce last year.

Putin said that “Russia could provide US$1 billion for the organization right now, even before we decide whether we’ll take part in the work of the Board of Peace. Moscow has always supported and continues to support any efforts aimed at strengthening international stability.”

Putin thanked Trump for the invitation but said that Moscow would need more time to study the offer and consult its strategic partners.

The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has arrived in Moscow for a two-day working visit and met with Putin and ambassadors from several Arab countries yesterday (January 22). The sides are expected to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East.

Trump has invited dozens of nations onto his “Peace Board.” Hungary, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Argentina have already accepted the offer. Those invited to the board can reportedly join for free for three years. A payment of US$1 billion is required for a permanent seat.

On Tuesday, China also confirmed it had been invited to join but did not specify if it would participate. According to Washington, the body’s mandate could later be expanded to address other conflicts around the world.

Roughly US$5 billion out of a total of around US$300 billion in frozen Russian assets are located in the United States. Putin said that the remainder of the sum immobilized in the US could be spent on economic recovery of the areas damaged during the fighting once Moscow and Kiev strike a peace deal.