Russian President Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to join US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' for Gaza, the Kremlin confirmed on Monday, a move that has raised eyebrows as Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches its fourth year with escalating civilian deaths. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told state-run news outlet TASS that Putin received the invitation through diplomatic channels and that Moscow is 'studying all the details of this proposal' whilst hoping to contact Washington to 'clarify all the nuances'.
The invitation comes as Ukraine recorded its deadliest year for civilians since 2022, with the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission reporting that 2,514 civilians were killed and 12,142 injured in 2025, representing a 31 per cent increase compared to 2024. The timing has sparked controversy, particularly as Trump has been pushing for peace in Ukraine without achieving significant concessions from the Russian leader despite months of negotiations and a high-profile meeting in Alaska.
Billion-Dollar Membership Fee Sparks International Debate
Trump is asking countries to contribute $1 billion (£810 million) for permanent membership on the Board of Peace, with funds designated for rebuilding the Gaza Strip. Countries unwilling to pay the full amount would be limited to three-year terms. A US official confirmed that contributions are optional but would secure permanent membership.
The White House announced on Friday that the Board of Peace would be chaired by Trump himself, with founding members including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, World Bank President Ajay Banga, billionaire investor Marc Rowan, and US national security adviser Robert Gabriel. Multiple world leaders have confirmed receipt of invitations.
Netanyahu Objects to Board Composition
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare public rebuke of the Board of Peace structure on Saturday, stating that the announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board 'was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy'. The Gaza Executive Board includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, appointments that have particularly irked Israeli officials.
An unnamed senior American official responded sharply to Netanyahu's criticism, telling Axios: 'This is our show, not his show. We managed to do things in Gaza in recent months nobody thought was possible, and we are going to continue moving. If he wants us to deal with Gaza, it will have to be our way.' The official added that Trump's administration had 'worked over' Netanyahu and told him to 'focus on Iran' whilst they dealt with Gaza.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir backed Netanyahu's statement, declaring that Gaza 'needs to be cleaned of Hamas terrorists who should be destroyed', rather than requiring an executive board to supervise rehabilitation.
Ukraine War Casualties Continue to Mount
The invitation to Putin occurs against a backdrop of devastating losses in Ukraine. According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached at least 2,514 killed and 12,142 injured in 2025 alone. The UN monitoring mission noted that the rise was driven not only by intensified hostilities along the frontline but also by Russia's expanded use of long-range weapons.
Independent tallies by BBC Russian and Mediazona reported that verified Russian military deaths in Ukraine have risen to at least 152,142 since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. British intelligence estimates placed total Russian casualties at approximately 1 million, including up to 250,000 killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky updated his country's military casualty toll in mid-February 2025 to over 46,000 killed and 380,000 wounded.
Trump has repeatedly criticised Zelensky, suggesting last week that Ukraine was to blame for lack of progress towards a peace deal. Zelensky responded firmly via social media: 'Ukraine has never been and will never be a stumbling block to peace. When Ukrainians are left without power for 20-30 hours because of Russia, and when Russian strikes are aimed at breaking our energy system and our people, it is Russia that must be put under pressure.'
JUST IN: Russia confirms President Trump asked Russian President Putin to join the Gaza Board of Peace 🕊️
— Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) January 19, 2026
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Board of Peace Ambitions Beyond Gaza
Despite being launched as part of the Gaza ceasefire framework, draft documents suggest Trump envisions the Board of Peace as having a wider mandate to address global conflicts. The charter states that 'durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed'.
