Moscow declines participation in first session of US-led Peace Council

Russia will not participate in the first session of the Peace Council chaired by US President Donald Trump, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

Responding to a question about whether Russian diplomats would attend the council’s inaugural meeting, scheduled for 19th February, Zakharova stated: “Russia will not attend, and work is under way to formulate its position.”

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was still assessing its stance on the initiative, taking into account the cautious approach shown by a number of countries in both the West and the East, including permanent members of the UN Security Council.

READ: Pakistani premier to attend Board of Peace inaugural meeting in Washington

On 22nd January, representatives of 19 countries signed the charter of the Peace Council on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The body was established within the framework of the peace process in the Gaza Strip, and Washington later announced that additional countries had joined.

According to previous statements, the council was formed following an agreement between Israel and Hamas to administer Gaza, with its mandate potentially expanding to include conflict prevention and resolution in other regions. The first meeting is due to take place in Washington on 19th February.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow received a personal invitation from Trump to join the Peace Council. He added that Russia has consistently supported efforts to strengthen international stability and would respond formally after reviewing the relevant documents and consulting with strategic partners.

READ: Putin calls establishment of Palestinian state ‘matter of principle’