Davos, Switzerland, 22 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump has formally launched his Board of Peace by signing its founding document, an initiative critics see as undermining the United Nations.

Trump signed the charter at a ceremony held on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"This board has the chance to be one of the most consequential bodies ever created," he said.

The US president himself chairs the board, which he bills as a new international organization to spearhead peace-building initiatives.

Countries that contribute $1 billion can secure permanent membership, while others would serve a three-year term. A full list of members has yet to be released by the Trump administration.

Some 60 governments have been invited to join, but few of Washington's Western allies have publicly accepted, with Hungary and Bulgaria the only European Union members to have signed on so far.

Albania, Argentina, Belarus, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam are among the countries that have agreed to participate.

Two of Washington's biggest rivals, Russia and China, were also invited but have yet to make firm commitments.

Trump originally conceived the board as a body to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the two-year war between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

He has since suggested the body's ambitions could be stepped up to handle conflicts and crises worldwide.

At the ceremony Trump said the board Board of Peace "can spread out to other things" beyond Gaza.

"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. We will do it in conjunction with the UN."

Europe unconvinced

Britain skipped the signing ceremony and its government has not said whether it intends to join.

Germany also did not attend. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said earlier: "We already have a peace council, and that is the United Nations."

France does not currently plan to take up the offer to join, the Élysée Palace said this week.

Despite Trump’s remarks in Davos about working with the United Nations, critics say his initiative appears aimed at creating a rival to the world body, which he has repeatedly criticized as dysfunctional.

The president of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, also voiced scepticism, saying there is already an international organization whose central task is to safeguard world peace and international security.

Speaking to dpa, she said all countries have a seat and a voice at the United Nations regardless of their size or economic or military strength.

Photo: epa