U.S. President Donald Trump announced the selection of 26 countries as founding members of his administration’s newly created “Peace Board.” The announcement followed the board’s formal launch a week earlier at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and the opening of its official account on the U.S. social media platform X. The founding members include nations from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caucasus, such as Argentina, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.

Notably absent from the list are major powers linked to China and Russia, as well as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which have clashed with the Trump administration over environmental and trade policies. The exclusions have reportedly heightened diplomatic tensions between Washington and several European capitals. Belarus accepted an invitation to join, while Russia did not, despite President Vladimir Putin’s earlier statement offering $1 billion from frozen Russian assets to the board’s budget. The U.S. also withdrew Canada’s invitation after its prime minister criticized economic coercion by major powers.

Originally designed to oversee Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction efforts, the board’s mandate has been expanded to promote peace in all conflict-affected or at-risk regions, though its leadership structure and timeline remain undisclosed.