Russia, Belarus discuss Trump's 'Board of Peace' initiative

ISTANBUL

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenkov discussed US President Donald Trump’s initiative to establish a "Board of Peace" for Gaza.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the two top diplomats, over the phone, exchanged views on Trump's appeal to several nations, including Russia and Belarus, regarding the proposal to create the "Board of Peace."

Lavrov and Ryzhenkov also outlined further steps to promote a joint Belarusian-Russian initiative regarding the development of a "Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century," the statement added.

During the call, the ministers reviewed the schedule of upcoming high-level meetings and events, while also discussing issues of bilateral cooperation and foreign policy coordination.

Trump formally announced and signed the charter of the "Board of Peace" during a ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on the same day.

Last week, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace, alongside the approval of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of the four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave.

The initiative, initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and post-war reconstruction, has since expanded into a broader international conflict-mediation body, with dozens of countries invited to join.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday that more than 20 countries had already accepted the invitation. Among the countries that have accepted the invitation are Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt, as well as NATO members Türkiye and Hungary. Other participating states include Morocco, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.