Kathrine Frich
President Donald Trump has attempted to position himself at the center of a new diplomatic initiative he calls the “Board of Peace.”
Framed as a bold alternative to traditional international institutions, the initiative is meant to bring world powers together under US leadership.
But despite Trump’s confidence, several of the world’s most influential nations have yet to formally sign on.
“Everyone wants to be on it”
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump insisted the project is gaining momentum.
“It’s been very successful. Everyone’s gonna want to be on it… Everyone wants to be on it,” he said, adding that some governments simply need legislative approval before joining.
When asked which countries he most hopes to include, Trump did not hesitate.
“I would love to have China and Russia. They’ve been invited. You need both. You need all persuasions.”
So far, however, neither Beijing nor Moscow has formally accepted the invitation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is considering the proposal, while China has not committed.
Limited membership so far
At present, 25 countries have officially joined the Board of Peace. Among them are Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Qatar.
Nearly 50 nations and the European Union sent representatives to a recent gathering in Washington, though more than a dozen countries, including Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, attended only as observers without formally signing up.
Several heads of state did attend in person, including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Alternative diplomatic efforts
China has simultaneously been advancing its own mediation platform.
In 2025, Beijing launched the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong, describing it as an intergovernmental body dedicated to resolving disputes through dialogue under Article 33 of the UN Charter.
Elsewhere, the Vatican has expressed reservations about Trump’s initiative. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said crisis management at the international level should primarily remain within the framework of the United Nations.
Trump has also rescinded Canada’s invitation to participate after criticism from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Despite the hesitations, Trump remains confident.
“Almost everybody’s accepted, and the ones that haven’t, will be,” he said. “And some are playing a little cute, it doesn’t work. You can’t play cute with me.”
Sources: Express.
