Ashhar Alam | New Delhi

President Donald Trump unveiled his ambitious “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, aiming to spotlight a project originally conceived to oversee the Gaza ceasefire. While Trump called it “the most prestigious board ever formed,” questions remain over its mandate, membership, and the participation of U.S. allies.

The board, which grew out of Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council, now seeks to include leaders from around the world. Attendees at Davos included Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, among others. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed his participation.

Some key U.S. allies, however, declined invitations. The U.K., France, Norway, and Sweden expressed concerns over the board’s broad mandate and its potential to undermine the UN’s role in global conflict resolution. Other major powers, including Russia, China, Canada, Ukraine, and the EU executive arm, have yet to confirm their stance.

Trump, joined by his son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, emphasized that the board is open to “everybody who has power” and acknowledged the inclusion of controversial leaders like Vladimir Putin, whose country is consulting before committing. Trump also highlighted his prior military actions against Iran as key to enabling the Gaza ceasefire, while noting that further escalation in Tehran has been temporarily avoided.

The board announcement comes amid ongoing humanitarian challenges in Gaza, including over two million people still affected by war and continued tensions with Hamas, which Israel insists must disarm. Trump indicated that he expects answers from Hamas in the coming weeks and stressed urgency, warning that non-compliance could be met with “very quick” consequences.

Trump also plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the forum, continuing efforts to mediate a resolution to the nearly four-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict. While optimistic, he expressed frustration at both sides, saying, “If they don’t (agree), they’re stupid  that goes for both of them.”

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The Davos launch highlights Trump’s push to reshape U.S.-led peace initiatives globally, even as traditional allies weigh participation amid skepticism over the board’s authority and scope.