US President Donald Trump has once again taken a big step in international politics. Eight major Muslim countries on Wednesday (21 January 2026) announced to join the Board of Peace formed by Trump. With this decision, a new debate has started regarding the arrangement after the Gaza war and the resolution of global disputes.

Muslim countries included in Trump’s Board of Peace include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. All these countries have agreed to send their representatives to the board. This board has been created under a special mandate of the United Nations Security Council, whose primary objective is to monitor the post-war situation in Gaza. The time limit of this board has been fixed till 2027.

Trump’s big plan ahead of Gaza

Although the current focus of the board is Gaza, Donald Trump does not want to limit it only to this area. Trump intends to make this platform a center for resolving major disputes and conflicts around the world in the future. For this reason, he has emphasized on including those countries which are considered to have influence in global politics.

Why America is considering this as its diplomatic victory

The most special thing about this board is that it will be headed by Donald Trump himself for life. To become a permanent member, each country will have to pay a membership fee of one billion dollars. The board will hold a limited number of meetings a year, while a separate Gaza Executive Board has been formed to handle Gaza-related matters.

Linking Saudi Arabia to this initiative is being considered a major diplomatic achievement for Trump. Trump had been appealing to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to join this board for a long time. After Riyadh’s consent, the White House is presenting it as a major success.

Russia’s entry increased the stir

Meanwhile, Trump has also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted the invitation to join this board. According to Trump, only those people who have real power and influence will be included in the board. He said in a joking tone that if only weak or ineffective people are kept in it, no concrete results will be achieved.

Concern increased in western countries

There is uneasiness visible in many western countries regarding this initiative of Trump. Some diplomats believe that this board could weaken the traditional role of the United Nations. The Prime Minister of Slovenia has made it clear that his country will not be a part of this board. They argue that its scope is too wide and it could harm the existing structure of the United Nations.

Common message of Muslim countries

The eight Muslim countries included in the board have said in a joint statement that they are supporters of a just and lasting peace based on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and an independent state. He believes that this initiative can prove to be an important step towards stability and security in West Asia.

How many countries have received invitation

According to the information, invitations have been sent to about 60 countries to join the ‘Board of Peace’. Israel, Egypt, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam have already agreed to join. Whereas Sweden, Norway and Italy have distanced themselves from this board. Spain says that European countries are deciding a collective stand on this issue.

Pope also got invitation

This initiative can be gauged from the fact that Pope Leo has also been invited to join the Board of Peace. The Vatican has said that this proposal is being considered and no decision will be taken without a complete review.

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Amidst the ceasefire efforts related to the Gaza crisis, different reactions are emerging at the international level regarding the ‘Board of Peace’ proposed by US President Donald Trump. While many countries have agreed to be a part of this initiative, some European countries have distanced themselves from it. India’s stand is not clear at the moment and New Delhi is still considering various aspects of this proposal.

US President Donald Trump has proposed the formation of a ‘Board of Peace’ under the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The objective of this board is said to be to advance the permanent peace process in Gaza and ensure international cooperation in handling the post-war situation. For this, formal invitations have been sent to leaders of many countries of the world, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Why is India not responding immediately?

According to PTI, sources related to this matter say that India has not yet taken any final decision regarding joining the board. India is thoroughly reviewing the diplomatic, political and strategic aspects related to this initiative. Since the issue related to Gaza is extremely sensitive, India wants to consider all possible implications before taking any decision. At present, no official statement has been issued by the government on this subject.

Which countries distanced themselves from the board

There is a lot of hesitation in Europe regarding this proposal of Trump. France, Norway and Sweden have rejected the invitation to join the ‘Board of Peace’. Apart from this, the executive branch of Britain, China, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Singapore, Slovenia, Croatia and the European Union have not yet taken any clear decision.

Which countries agreed to Trump’s proposal?

Many countries have accepted the invitation of the US President. Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam are ready to join this board. Pakistan has also agreed to support this initiative.

How many countries were invited?

According to a White House official, invitations to join the Board of Peace have been sent to about 50 countries. Of these, about 30 countries are expected to become part of the board. However, the detailed list or methodology in this regard has not yet been made public.

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