US President Donald Trump signed the charter of his so-called "Board of Peace," which he has billed as a body for resolving international conflicts, with other founding members in Davos on Thursday.
"Congratulations President Trump, the charter is now in full force, and the board of peace is now an official international organisation," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the signing ceremony.
Trump praised the Iran strikes and repeated his claim that he stopped eight wars since returning to office. He pointed out the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June and said it 'obliterated' Iran’s nuclear capacity.
He claims the threats to Europe, US and Middle East 'are really calming down'. Referring to US operations against ISIL in Syria, he said 'many good things are happening'.
In his opening remarks praising the launch of his Board of Peace, Trump made a point to mention the United Nations.
He said "many nations" have been part of establishing the body.
Then he added, "We'll work with many others, including the United Nations."
Trump has been highly critical of the UN and has withdrawn the US from multiple international organizations. He has expressed ambitions recently that the new international board can replicate, if not compete with the UN as an international broker.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump is willing to speak to anyone in what he described as the pursuit of peace.
“We are here today because of president Trump’s vision,” Rubio said.
Referring to ongoing conflicts, he said, “a few months ago, people thought it was impossible to solve”. “All these hostages being held (in Gaza) – nobody thought that would come to a resolution”.
Despite existing institutions being unable to act, Trump had 'the vision and the courage to dream the impossible', he added.
Trump also said that Hamas must disarm under the Gaza ceasefire deal or it will be the "end" of the Palestinian movement.
"They have to give up their weapons, and if they don't do that, it's going to be the end of them," Trump said, adding that the Islamist group "were born with rifles in their hands."
Donald Trump is hosting presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international "Board of Peace" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The list of attendees, according to a forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America.
But it remains short on major US allies from Europe, and the full membership list still isn't clear.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff are with Trump.
Europe is breathing a sigh of relief on Thursday following Trump's dramatic reversal over Greenland the day before in Davos, where he scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for US control over Greenland.
Several countries have said they will join U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, while a few European nations have declined their invitations. Many have not yet responded to Trump's invites.
A White House official has said about 30 countries were expected to join the board, without providing details, while about 50 had been invited.
Here is a list by The Associated Press with countries that say they are joining the board, those that say they are not joining so far and the undecided.
Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
France, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and The United Kingdom.
Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, The European Union's executive arm, Paraguay, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and Ukraine