The charter of the Board of Peace, an international initiative launched by US President Donald Trump, was signed on 22 January on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was among the signatories, formally joining the body as a founding member.
President Donald Trump hosted the signing ceremony, describing it as a “very exciting day” and stating that the board would become one of the “most consequential bodies” ever created.
Pashinyan joined the Board of Peace following an official invitation from Trump. Although the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office had earlier announced that Pashinyan would not attend the Davos Forum, he travelled to Switzerland to take part in the US-led initiative.
In his speech, Trump reiterated his claim that since taking office he had brought an end to eight wars, including the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He added that another settlement was expected “very soon,” referring to the war in Ukraine.
The Board of Peace is a newly established international platform whose primary mission is to oversee post-war reconstruction, demilitarisation, and the restoration of regional stability in the Gaza Strip. However, Trump has outlined broader ambitions for the body, saying it should also work to resolve global conflicts.
Trump has presented the initiative as an alternative to the United Nations, portraying it as a more practical and effective mechanism that would operate directly under the supervision of his administration. According to the US President, the Board of Peace is intended to become “the most powerful body ever created.”
The board’s executive leadership includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presidential adviser Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and World Bank President Ajay Banga.
More than 50 world leaders were invited to join the platform. According to a White House source cited by Reuters, 35 have agreed to participate, including US allies Israel, Turkey, and Hungary, as well as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Invitations were also extended to the leaders of Russia and Belarus, who had faced Western isolation following the war in Ukraine.
Reuters noted that both Armenia and Azerbaijan accepted Trump’s invitation, recalling that the two countries reached a US-mediated peace agreement in Washington in August last year.
Several of Washington’s traditional allies have reacted cautiously to the initiative. France, a NATO ally, declined to join the Board of Peace. Armenia, however, had announced days earlier that it would participate.
“Prime Minister Pashinyan accepted the invitation with pleasure and a sense of responsibility, reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to advancing peace,” his press secretary said.
Donald Trump also held a separate meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Davos, Azerbaijan’s APA news agency reported, without providing further details.
Earlier, several media outlets obtained a copy of the board’s charter, which stipulates that all member states are required to pay a $1 billion permanent membership fee.
Today, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that Armenia will not pay this fee.
In response to Factor.am, MFA spokesperson Ani Badalyan explained that membership in the Board of Peace is voluntary in terms of financial contributions.
Countries invited by US President Trump can join the board without a fixed membership fee for up to three years.
This period can be reviewed after it expires. Armenia’s government approved its membership on these terms.
The cited $1 billion fee is voluntary and only applies if a country wishes to become a permanent member within one year after the charter comes into force.
