Britain has announced it will not participate in Thursday’s signing ceremony for former US President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” in Davos, signalling fresh diplomatic unease over the structure and credibility of the initiative. The decision, confirmed by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, underscores growing concerns among Western allies about the inclusion of controversial global actors in the peace framework.
Trump is expected to host the ceremony in the Swiss mountain resort to unveil the founding charter of the conflict resolution body, which reportedly carries a $1 billion permanent membership fee. However, Cooper told BBC Television that the United Kingdom would not be among the signatories, citing unresolved legal and political issues surrounding the agreement.
Speaking from Davos, the British minister pointed specifically to the proposed involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a major red flag. She said the UK remains uneasy about endorsing any peace platform that includes Russia’s leader while Moscow’s forces continue military operations in Ukraine following the 2022 invasion.
Cooper stressed that meaningful peace efforts must be anchored on genuine commitments and international law, adding that there has been no clear indication from the Kremlin of readiness to end the war. The UK’s decision is expected to fuel wider debate among global leaders attending Davos about the legitimacy and future direction of the controversial peace initiative.