Business & Economics
Trump Invites Putin to Pay-to-Join Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ Ahead of Davos Launch
On 19 Jan 2026 the Kremlin disclosed that Vladimir Putin has been formally asked to sit on President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace, a self-styled panel meant to police the Gaza cease-fire and, eventually, other conflicts.
Focusing Facts
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on 19 Jan 2026 that Putin received the invitation “through diplomatic channels” and is reviewing it.
- A draft charter seen by multiple outlets says a permanent seat requires a $1 billion payment after an initial three-year term.
- Trump plans a ceremonial signing to constitute the board at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 22 Jan 2026.
Context
Personalistic, pay-to-play diplomacy is not new: in 1920 the San Remo Conference effectively auctioned Middle-East mandates among the victors of World War I, and in 2003 Washington tried a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ model where political backing was traded for aid and access. Trump’s invitation to a still-warring Putin, and the $1 billion buy-in, signal a continuation of the century-long trend toward ad-hoc clubs that bypass treaty-based bodies like the UN (founded 1945) in favor of leader-driven coalitions. Whether the scheme succeeds or fizzles, it highlights three forces reshaping the system: the erosion of post-1945 multilateral norms, the commodification of international legitimacy, and the rise of strong-man transactionalism. If such models displace the UN, historians in 2126 may view this moment—when a U.S. president openly monetized peace stewardship and invited an active belligerent to co-manage conflicts—as an inflection point in the slow retreat from rules-based order; or, if the board collapses like many vanity initiatives, as a historical footnote underscoring the resilience of established institutions.
Perspectives
Left leaning media
e.g., The Guardian, Al Jazeera Online — Portrays Putin’s invite as fresh evidence that Trump is courting an unrepentant war-maker, undermining the U.N. and sidelining Palestinians in a neocolonial peace scheme. Long-standing antipathy toward Trump and Western militarism leads these outlets to spotlight worst-case motives and humanitarian harms while downplaying any potential diplomatic breakthrough.
Right leaning media
e.g., Fox News, ProtoThema/Protothemanews — Frames the invitation as a bold stroke in Trump’s drive to build a historic, leader-level Peace Council that can tackle Gaza and other conflicts. Pro-Trump editorial lines celebrate his initiative and gloss over objections about Ukraine, U.N. legitimacy or the steep $1 billion buy-in fee.
Mainstream establishment & business outlets
e.g., BBC, CNBC — Report the offer matter-of-factly, noting Moscow is ‘studying the details,’ allies’ mixed reactions and the hefty membership price tag. A focus on diplomatic process and economic angles can reduce the moral stakes to transactional terms and treat tariff threats or Israel’s objections as just more geopolitical theatre.