UK rejects Donald Trump's Board of Peace invite amid 'concerns about Vladimir Putin's involvement'

Speaking on Thursday, Yvette Cooper insisted that the UK would not attend the signing in ceremony for world leaders over concerns over Russia's involvement - notably President Putin "being part of something which is talking about peace".

Despite the snub, the Foreign Secretary said on Thursday that the UK strongly supports the US president’s 20-point plan for peace in the Middle East.

Mr Trump is set to spotlight his plans to create the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.

It comes just a day after Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to join Mr Trump's initiative, branded the Board of Peace.

In statement from Mr Netanyahu's office, he added that he had accepted Mr Trump's invitation.

Read more: Netanyahu accepts invite to Trump's 'Board of Peace'

Read more: Putin invited to join Trump's Gaza 'board of peace', Kremlin announces

Netanyahu's response follows his office's earlier criticism of the executive committee making up the board.

Ms Cooper said on Thursday: "We have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine.

“And to be honest, that is also what we should be talking about.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is still consulting with its “strategic partners” before deciding to commit to the plan.

So far 60 countries have been invited to join, but permanent membership will be available for the $1bn fee.

It comes as Putin said on Wednesday that he was looking over his invitation to the board after being invited personally by the US President.

The board's charter has not yet been made public, with much speculation surrounding the finer details.

However, an initial draft version obtained by The Associated Press indicates much of the power will be concentrated in the hands of Mr Trump himself.

According to the document, a one billion dollars contribution is required to secures permanent membership.

Russia's statement is understood to refer to the Board of Peace being set up by the US to oversee the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that President Putin had "received an invitation through diplomatic channels to join this Peace Council".

"At the moment, we are studying all the details of this proposal and hope to have contacts with the American side to clarify all the nuances," he added.

Earlier, Kazakhstan's leader President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also accepted an invitation to join the same board, according to his spokesperson.

The board was initially expected to be a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire in the Middle East, but appears to have evolved into something more wide-reaching.

Some 35 countries had agreed to sign on to the project, a senior official speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House has told reporters, and 60 nations had been invited to join.

Who is on the board of peace?

Executive Board members

Marco Rubio (US Secretary of State), Steve Witkoff (Trump envoy), Jared Kushner (Trump's son-in-law), Tony Blair (former British PM), Marc Rowan (Apollo Global Management CEO), Ajay Banga (World Bank President), Robert Gabriel Jr. (Trump's deputy national security adviser)

Gaza Executive Board members

Nickolay Mladenov (High Representative for Gaza), Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Hakan Fidan (Turkish Foreign Minister), Ali Al-Thawadi (Qatari diplomat), Hassan Rashad (director of Egypt's General Intelligence Agency), Reem Al-Hashimy (Emirati minister), Yakir Gabay (Israeli businessman), Sigrid Kaag (former Dutch deputy PM)

Strategic Advisers

Aryeh Lightstone, Josh Gruenbaum

Palestinian Administration

Ali Shaath (leads National Committee for the Administration of Gaza)