On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin of Russia expressed his gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for inviting Moscow to participate in the “Board of Peace” initiative. He mentioned that Russia might be ready to pay the significant fee necessary for permanent membership, just prior to a meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner scheduled for this week.
Putin stated during a gathering with members of Russia’s Security Council that Russia has consistently supported efforts aimed at enhancing global stability, highlighting the Trump administration’s attempts to resolve the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. He added that the Foreign Ministry has been tasked with reviewing a draft of the “Board of Peace” charter and that Russia would consult with its “strategic partners” before making a decision on joining.
Recently, the White House extended invitations to numerous world leaders over the weekend to partake in this initiative. Countries such as Israel, Hungary, Belarus, and Kazakhstan have confirmed their involvement.
The “Board of Peace,” which Trump is set to chair for life, was initially intended as a limited group of world leaders overseeing a ceasefire and reconstruction efforts in Gaza after over two years of Israeli strikes. However, the concept has evolved into a broader initiative, raising concerns about its potential to undermine the United Nations’ authority.
According to the proposal, countries could secure permanent membership by contributing $1 billion within the first year.
Putin indicated that Russia could utilize its assets that have been frozen in the United States since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine to cover this membership fee. He also mentioned that other frozen funds could be allocated for reconstruction efforts in Ukraine post-conflict.
He intends to discuss these proposals during his meeting on Thursday with Witkoff and Kushner, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to arrive in Moscow on the same day.
Witkoff and Kushner, who have been assigned by Trump to facilitate negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, are making their second joint visit to Moscow to present the latest version of a U.S.-brokered peace plan.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Witkoff expressed optimism that Ukraine and Russia could be nearing an agreement. “I think we’ve narrowed it down to one key issue, and we have explored variations of that issue, which indicates it’s solvable. If both sides are willing to find a resolution, we can achieve it,” he stated during an event centered on Ukraine.
Witkoff also noted that he and Kushner planned not to spend the night in Moscow but would instead travel to Abu Dhabi, where discussions would continue in what he referred to as “military to military” working groups.
