United States President Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to join a proposed international “peace council,” a body Trump says would help address major global conflicts, including the governance and reconstruction of Gaza.
The move comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year, continues with no comprehensive peace agreement in place. Trump had repeatedly claimed during his campaign that he could bring the conflict to an end within 24 hours of assuming office, though fighting on the ground has persisted and negotiations have stalled in recent months.
According to officials in Moscow, the invitation was made public on Monday as part of broader outreach by the White House to global leaders to participate in the initiative, which Trump is expected to chair personally.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin had received the invitation, saying Russia was seeking further clarification from Washington on the proposal. He did not indicate whether the Russian president was inclined to accept.
Reports also suggest that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, has been invited to participate in the council.
Russia has historically maintained diplomatic ties with key actors across the Middle East, including both Israel and the Palestinians. However, relations have shifted since the outbreak of Israel’s prolonged war in Gaza and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Moscow strengthening ties with countries opposed to Israel, including Iran.
At the same time, Russia has pursued closer engagement with Gulf Arab states as it faces growing political and economic isolation from Western nations.
Putin has previously spoken positively about Trump’s attempts to mediate global conflicts. In remarks made last October, the Russian leader said Trump was making significant efforts to resolve long-running international crises, describing the possibility of success in the Middle East as potentially “historic.”
Moscow’s traditionally cordial relationship with Israel has come under strain due to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised Israel’s military campaign, warning of the humanitarian consequences for civilians in the enclave.
“The Gaza Strip is facing a humanitarian catastrophe in the full sense of the word,” Putin said in May during talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, according to Russian state media. He added that Russia continued to provide assistance to the Palestinian people.
Trump’s proposed peace council is expected to oversee the implementation of a reported 20-point framework aimed at ending the war in Gaza. The structure reportedly includes three tiers of representation drawn from the United States, Europe and Arab countries.
However, analysts have raised concerns about the design of the body, noting that influential, pro-Israel figures are positioned at the top, while Palestinian representatives are limited to lower-level, municipal roles. Critics argue that the arrangement risks sidelining Palestinian political authority and replacing it with a commercially driven governance model shaped largely by external actors.
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