US President Says Putin Agreed to Join Peace Board

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to be part of his proposed “Board of Peace,” even though the Kremlin says it is still reviewing the invitation.

Speaking to reporters in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said the group has already gained support from several world leaders.

Responding to criticism over including leaders with controversial records, Trump said not everyone on the board would be uncontroversial, adding that limiting the group to only “perfect” leaders would leave it ineffective.

In Moscow, Putin told a cabinet meeting that he had ordered his foreign ministry to study the proposal.

“The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners,” Putin said during a televised government meeting.

“It is only after that we’ll be able to reply to the invitation,” he said.

He said that Russia could pay the billion dollars being asked for permanent membership “from the Russian assets frozen under the previous American administration”.

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He added that the assets could also be used “to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine”.

Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board.

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Although originally meant to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Strip and appears to want to rival the United Nations, drawing the ire of some US allies including France.