“PEACE FOR SALE: TRUMP’S $1 BILLION ‘BOARD OF PEACE SPARKS CONTROVERSY”
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–U S President Donald Trump has launched his new “Board of Peace” at Davos, with a $1 billion membership fee and a list of invitees that’s sparked controversy.
Here are the key issues:
– Exclusive Membership : The Board of Peace has a $1 billion membership fee, leading to criticisms that it’s a “pay to play” version of the UN Security Council.
– Controversial Invitees : Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine four years ago, despite concerns from US allies.
– Rival to the UN? : The board’s charter envisions a wider role in resolving international conflicts, sparking concerns that Trump wants it to rival the United Nations.
– UK and France Snub : Key US allies, including France and Britain, have expressed skepticism, with the UK saying it would not attend the ceremony.
– Gaza Focus : The board’s original purpose was to oversee peace in Gaza, but its charter has expanded to address global conflicts.
Notable quotes:
– “In most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular. That’s the way it goes in life.” – Donald Trump
– “The board’s focus is first and foremost on making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.” – Marco Rubio
– “Hamas to disarm under the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord or it will be the end of them.” – Donald Trump
– Trump to meet Zelensky
–The inclusion of Putin has caused particular concern among US allies, but especially in Ukraine as it seeks an end to Moscow’s nearly four-year-old invasion.
Trump will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos after the “Board of Peace” ceremony to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine — the major peace deal that continues to elude him.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is due to travel to Moscow to meet Putin later Thursday, said in Davos that talks to end the war had made a “lot of progress” and were down to one issue.
“I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we have discussed iterations of that issue, and that means it’s solvable,” said Witkoff, without saying what the issue was.
Witkoff added that he and the US leader’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would not stay in Moscow overnight but fly straight to Abu Dhabi for “military to military” talks.
Zelensky has meanwhile voiced fears that Trump’s push to seize Greenland — which has dominated Davos so far and threatened to unravel the transatlantic alliance — could divert focus away from Russia’s invasion of his country.
Trump, however, said late Wednesday he had reached a “framework of a future deal” after meeting NATO chief Mark Rutte, and that he would therefore waive tariffs scheduled to hit European allies on February 1.
He gave no further details, leaving Europeans drawing only cautious sighs of relief. A source close to the talks told AFP that a 1951 Greenland defence pact would be renegotiated as part of the deal.
SOURCE== AFP ==EXCEPT THE HEADLINE AND INTRO PLUS A FEW PARAGRAPHS
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