Britain will not sign up to Donald Trump's 'board of peace' on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed, citing concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin's involvement. The board, announced last week, aims to oversee a ceasefire and reconstruction in Gaza, but critics view it as an alternative to the United Nations.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Cooper said the UK strongly supports Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza but will not be among the signatories. 'This is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, and we do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine,' she stated.
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that Putin had been invited to join the board. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump claimed Putin had accepted, though a Kremlin spokesperson said Russia was seeking to 'clarify all the nuances' before responding. Cooper emphasised that pressure should remain on Putin to show willingness for peace in Ukraine.
The board's founding executive board includes former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and World Bank President Ajay Banga. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel have agreed to join. Trump is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Davos on Thursday to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
