Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to join US President Donald Trump’s newly proposed “Board of Peace,” a global initiative aimed at resolving conflicts and overseeing governance and reconstruction in Gaza, the Kremlin confirmed on Monday.
Moscow has historically sought to balance relations with all major Middle East players, including Israel and the Palestinians. However, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war and Russia’s military assault on Ukraine, Putin has moved closer to Israel’s adversaries, such as Iran, while seeking stronger ties with Gulf states amid growing Western isolation.
“President Putin also received an invitation to join this Board of Peace,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, including AFP. He added that Russia was seeking to “clarify all the nuances” of the offer with Washington, without indicating whether Putin intends to accept the invitation.
The White House has reportedly reached out to several global figures to participate in the initiative, which will be chaired by President Trump himself. Putin has previously praised Trump’s conflict-resolution efforts, stating in October 2025: “He’s really doing a lot to resolve these complex crises, which have lasted for years, even decades.”
Regarding the Middle East, Putin said: “If we succeed in achieving everything Donald has strived for… it will be a historic event.”
The ongoing war in Ukraine and the recent Gaza conflict have strained Russia’s historically positive relations with Israel, which hosts a large Russian-born population. The Kremlin has criticised Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks and has repeatedly called for restraint.
“The Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe in the full sense of the word,” Putin was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti during a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in May 2025. “Russia, as a friend of the Palestinian people, is trying to provide regular assistance,” he added.
