On January 22, 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump signed the charter of the Board of Peace together with representatives of nearly two dozen countries. Many observers see the new body as a possible alternative to the UN.
Under the published charter, the Board is made up of sitting heads of state and government, while invitations are issued personally by Trump as chairman. Standard membership is limited to three years, but a state may obtain a permanent seat if it contributes more than $1 billion during the first year after the charter takes effect.
The idea first appeared in autumn 2025 in Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, where the body was expected to oversee transitional governance and reconstruction funding. In the final charter, however, Gaza is not mentioned, and the Board’s mandate is described much more broadly.
“The UN just hasn’t been very helpful to me. I’m a big believer in the UN’s potential, but it has never lived up to it,” Trump said before leaving for Davos. At the ceremony, however, he said the new body intended to cooperate with the UN and other institutions.
The White House also announced two executive structures within the Board, including a separate Gaza body. Nikolay Mladenov was named the senior representative for Gaza, and Washington said the membership of both councils could still be expanded.
According to media reports, invitations were sent to about 50-60 states. Eight Arab and Muslim countries announced they would join, along with several other states including Israel, Argentina, Kazakhstan, and Hungary. Alyaksandr Lukashenka accepted the invitation, while Vladimir Putin said Moscow was studying the documents, though he also expressed readiness to send $1 billion from Russian assets frozen in the United States, primarily for Palestinian needs.
Some countries reacted cautiously. France, Norway, and Slovenia have already declined; Sweden said it would not sign onto the current model; the United Kingdom and Germany are still consulting; and China stressed its commitment to a system centered on the UN. Against this backdrop, the future role of the Board of Peace and its impact on Gaza remain unclear.