Concern: Trump is building his own UN
Has invited around 60 countries to the peace council - threatens Macron with champagne tariffs
Updated 21.15 | Published 20.43
A peace council that will resolve global conflicts - where members pay a billion dollars for a permanent seat.
Is Donald Trump building his own UN?
- It is not impossible, says international law expert Pål Wrange.
Quick version
In the midst of the Greenland crisis, they have been sent out: invitations have been sent to some 60 countries.
Now, presidents such as Russia's Vladimir Putin, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and China's leader Xi Jinping, as well as Norwegian Prime Ministers Jonas Gahr Støre and Ulf Kristersson, have all been offered a seat on Trump's Peace Council.
He aims to get the leaders to join during the Davos summit, which he is visiting on Wednesday.
The idea of a peace council was part of Trump's plan to resolve the conflict in Gaza. But now the idea seems to have grown to include other wars and conflicts in the world.
The NY Times has seen a copy of the statutes, which aim for a more “flexible and effective international peacebuilding body.” It is to be an international organization for stability and is to “secure peace in areas that are in or threatened by conflict,” writes ABC News.
Trump to have veto power
Donald Trump is a well-known critic of the UN, which he believes is too “woke” and ineffective. Critics say that the new council has been designed as a challenger to the UN. According to Pål Wrange, an international law expert, it is not at all impossible that he is now trying to build his own alternative.
– It is not impossible. In the happy 90s, there were ideas about an alternative to the UN, an organization for democratic states. But I don’t think that is so relevant to him, since Putin, for example, is invited.
The Peace Council will be led by Donald Trump, and he will have veto power. Membership is free and valid for three years. Countries that want a permanent seat must pay one billion dollars, equivalent to 9.1 billion kronor, in a one-time fee.
Something that could prevent many countries from joining, says Pål Wrange.
– Just by demanding one billion dollars, you will probably exclude a lot of states.
“Something good could come out of it”
Pål Wrange agrees with Trump that the UN is ineffective. But whether the new Peace Council will be better is too early to say.
– He wants a more efficient and executive government. But regarding the difficulties in reaching decisions in the UN Security Council, it is the USA, China and Russia (which have veto power, editor's note) that are the stumbling blocks because they cannot agree, says Wrange.
China's leader Xi Jinping.
1 / 2Photo: Maxim Shemetov/AP
At the same time, he sees question marks. Among other things, it is unclear who controls the Peace Council's money and who is given access. It also lacks the tools that the Security Council has: to bind other states to decisions on sanctions and trade embargoes.
- They can agree on anything among themselves, but they cannot bind other states to it.
However, he does not rule out that it can sometimes succeed in creating peace.
- You should not rule out that something good can come out of it if they can act in a less conventional way to create peace and there is money to act quickly in a situation. Maybe you can say "we want you to make peace, and then we can invest in you".
Macron threatens with champagne tariffs
It is unclear which countries will join. Argentine President Milei has said yes. French President Macron has said no, which has prompted Trump to threaten with 200 percent tariffs on champagne.
Ulf Kristersson's press secretary says that a position has not yet been taken on the invitation and that "the issue is being discussed with our European friends".
– I would not take a billion dollars of the already cut aid funds and hand them over to Donald Trump. Even if it were free, I would read the letter carefully and ask American representatives what it means.
FACTS
Trump's Peace Council
Initially, the council was created to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Now it seems to have grown to also include other global conflicts.
The NY Times has seen a copy of the statutes, which call for a more "flexible and effective international peacebuilding body".
The council will be chaired by Donald Trump. It will meet once a year.
The special peace council for Gaza includes, among others, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and World Bank chief Ajay Banga.
The leaders of some 60 countries have received an invitation, including Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán and Argentina's Javier Milei are among those who have said yes so far. France's Emanuel Macron has said no. Most countries have not yet responded.
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