- January 20, 2026
- 11:25 am
- World News
The President of the USA, Donald Trump, initiated the creation of an international “Peace Council” on Gaza and sent invitations to 49 countries, as well as the European Commission. The format is positioned as a new diplomatic platform for discussing the conflict, however, Ukraine has not yet given a final response, taking time to assess the conditions of participation and possible consequences.
According to European sources, the initiative is already being discussed at the level of foreign ministries and foreign policy advisors. At the same time, key parameters — the mandate, decision-making procedure, and legal status of the “Council” — remain not fully clarified, which explains the restraint of several capitals.
Who is invited to the table
Among the invitees are most European countries, Middle Eastern states, and several global players. The list mentions Russia, Belarus, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. A separate invitation was received by the European Commission, which gives the format a supranational character.
In Kyiv, they emphasize that participation in such a structure is possible only with a clear understanding of the rules. The Ukrainian side assesses the risk that a single format may equate countries with fundamentally different roles in conflicts and blur responsibility.
Why Davos
Trump insists that the launch of the “Peace Council” take place in Davos — on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. This choice emphasizes the desire to link security, economic, and global policy issues in one space.
However, it is precisely Davos that intensifies disagreements. Some invited countries have already indicated that they are ready to consider participation only after revising the membership conditions and goals of the “Council”. For some, this is a potential channel for dialogue, for others — a reputational risk.
List without a final version
The full list of 49 countries has not been officially published. It is known that invitations were sent, in particular, to Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, and several other states. However, not all recipients have confirmed receiving the letters, and some diplomatic missions learned about the initiative from the media.
The absence of a final list appears to be part of the tactic: first a loud political signal, then — filling with specific content and negotiations.
French episode and trade subtext
A separate resonance was caused by Emmanuel Macron‘s refusal to join the “Peace Council”. In response, Trump publicly allowed the possibility of imposing tariffs on French wines and champagne.
This episode showed that the initiative is not isolated from US trade policy. The diplomatic format here easily combines with economic pressure, which causes concern in European capitals.
Ukrainian pause as a signal
For Ukraine, the key remains not the fact of participation itself, but the architecture of the future format. A council without clearly fixed principles of responsibility and mechanisms of influence can create dangerous precedents. That is why the pause in response looks calculated and pragmatic.
Trump’s initiative has already influenced the international agenda, even without being formally launched. It has outlined new lines of tension between the US and the EU and showed how differently countries interpret the very concept of “peace”. Analysts and editorial offices — including NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency — are closely following how diplomatic gestures transform into real political consequences.
