ByREUTERS
Updated:

The United Arab Emirates and Belarus accepted the invitation to join US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" on Tuesday. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed the agreement to join on Tuesday afternoon, stating that he looked forward to becoming a "founding member" of the organization. 

The UAE's foreign ministry said the country stood ready to “contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace, supporting greater cooperation, stability, and prosperity for all,” marking Abu Dhabi's formal alignment with Washington’s new conflict‑resolution effort.

The board would be chaired for life by Trump and would start by addressing the Gaza war, then expand to deal with other conflicts, according to a copy of a letter and draft charter seen by Reuters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with Nickolay Mladenov, who is set to become the Director of the Gaza Strip Board of Peace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday, 8 January 2026, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with Nickolay Mladenov, who is set to become the Director of the Gaza Strip Board of Peace. (credit: AMOS BEN GERSHOM/GPO)

Bahrain joins BoP, Norway rejects the invitation  

Bahrain has accepted the invitation to join the BoP as a founding member, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Norway will not take part in the initiative as it is currently presented, Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik told the daily Aftenposten on Tuesday.

The Norwegian foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Turkey's Fidan discusses Trump's Board of Peace plan, Syria with Rubio

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the BoP and recent developments in Syria in a phone call, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.