The Trump Peace Council. How the US President Decided to Replace the UN

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, US President Donald Trump may announce the launch of a new international body he created himself – the Peace Council. This initiative, which began as one of the components of Trump's peace plan in Gaza, is causing increasing concern.LIGA.net read The Washington Post, The New York Times, BBC, Le Monde, The Financial Times and explains why the Council risks becoming yet another symbol of the destruction of the international order and the growth of Trump's ambitions.Trump's alternative UN – what is the Peace CouncilTrump sent more than 50 invitations to world leaders to join the Peace Council, which is presented as an international peacekeeping organization. A permanent seat on its board will cost countries $1 billion.This is the cost of permanent membership, but there is no "requirement" to make a contribution to join – countries that do not pay a contribution will have a three-year membership.In October-November 2025, when Trump helped broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the UN Security Council agreed to Trump's plan to create a council to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza.The White House announced on January 16 the creation of the board of this Council. But there is no mention of Gaza in the draft of its plan. Instead, it is assumed that Trump seeks to create an alternative to the UN under his leadership.The president, among others, received an invitation to join. Volodymyr ZelenskyyAlso present were the leaders of Albania, Argentina, Canada, Egypt, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Jordan. The dictators of Russia and Belarus were also invited to the council.Zelenskyy confirmed that he had received the invitation: "Right now, it's hard for me to imagine how Ukraine could be with Russia in any government or Rada."Read alsoThe EU is preparing an economic "bazooka" against the US. What will the tariff war over Greenland lead toAccording to the draft, the mission of the body is to promote stability, restore reliable and legitimate governance, and ensure lasting peace in areas affected by or at risk of conflict around the world.According to the plan, the Council would have about 60 countries, without China, and no one would have veto power. Trump himself would act as the arbiter of final decisions.The ceremony for the formation of the Rada committee is scheduled for January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.Trump lives in a world he created. He loves medals, glitter, fake gold, and considers these external attributes equivalent to real titles. But, in the end, who will sign this document? says historian Elizabeth Roudinesco.As of January 19, Trump's initiative was met with skepticism and an awkward silence. Fewer than 10 leaders responded positively to the invitation letter. Among those who publicly accepted membership were the leaders of Argentina, Paraguay, Hungary, Albania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.Alexander Lukashenko said that he was "ready to participate." And the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney He seemed to accept membership, but said he wouldn't pay for it.Direct dependence on Trump. What is wrong with the organizational idea of the Peace CouncilAccording to the charter, Trump is to determine who will be invited to join the board. On Friday, he announced seven members of the founding executive board.Trump's son-in-law was included. Jared Kushner, Secretary of StateMarco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witcoff and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. World Bank President Ajay Banga, US Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel, and billionaire Mark Rowan are also expected to join.Decisions will be made by a majority vote, with each member country getting one vote. But a decision can be vetoed by the chairman, who has "final authority on meaning, interpretation, and application," putting the body under Trump's leadership.Alongside the Peace Council, the White House announced that it had formed a secondary committee – the Gaza Executive Council. Its members also include Kushner, Witcoff, Blair, as well as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali al-Tawadi.Israeli officials have expressed opposition to this plan. The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the board's announcement "is not consistent with and contradicts Israeli policy." The conflict arose because of Turkish and Qatari diplomats.Khaled Elgindi, a Palestinian analyst at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University, also criticized the idea: "There is no reference to Palestinians, their rights, interests, or even a future state. None of this is a priority for Blair, Trump, or the so-called Peace Council."Europeans are against it, but…European leaders have been consulting on the Council's ambitions, and most are unlikely to agree to join it in its current form, a senior European official said.At the meeting, EU ambassadors expressed "serious doubts" about the work of the Council and said they wanted to study its legal basis before taking a position.Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that "Italy can play a leading role in developing a peace plan for Gaza," but has not yet officially accepted the invitation.Berlin is looking forward to joining what the Chancellor believes is a good idea. Friedrich Merz, it should have been an initiative focused on Gaza. But the Council's global powers, financial contributions, and Trump's role as chairman threw the government for a loop.One government insider is concerned that if Trump continues in the same vein, it will be "the nail in the coffin of international law as we know it."Spokesperson for the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen He also spoke cautiously: "Discussions on the topic will continue throughout the week. Our goal is to achieve peace and develop a comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza".At the same time, European leaders do not want to ignite another dispute with Trump, when there is already a confrontation over Greenland, and the need for the US to support Ukraine, which is suffering from frosts and the escalation of Russian attacks.A European official said that few would be willing to contribute large sums of money to a council that would be dominated by Trump's vision of the world order.France has no intention of joining because the Council's governing statute raises questions about respect for the role of the UN, a senior French official said. In response, Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wines and champagne if the president Emmanuel Macron will decline the invitation.A US representative stated that the Council's funds would be used to fulfill its mandate for the reconstruction of Gaza. The board guarantees that almost all of the money will go to this, and not to an "inflated staff, as in many other international organizations."According to the draft statute, the Council will convene at least once a year, and the agenda will be approved by the chairperson."The Rada is a concept tied to a galaxy far, far away, not to reality. It won't be able to resolve the conflict in Sudan, and it's not going to do what the U.S. and Europe couldn't do regarding a ceasefire in Ukraine," says former State Department diplomat Aaron David Miller.Read alsoEurope, don't back down: why trying to "appease" Trump will achieve nothing

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