Overview
- Axios and Bloomberg report the White House aims to formalize the Council’s statute at the World Economic Forum on January 22, with roughly 60 invitations circulated.
- Morocco said King Mohammed VI accepted founding membership, while Belarus’ foreign ministry reported a positive response from President Alexander Lukashenko.
- France intends to decline at this stage over concerns about the UN’s role, and the UN deputy spokesman said Secretary‑General António Guterres has not been invited.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Putin received an invitation and is studying it, and President Trump confirmed to Reuters that Putin was invited.
- Draft statute details reported by Bloomberg and others include Trump as first chair with approval authority and a $1 billion contribution for permanent membership, drawing pushback such as the Czech foreign minister saying his country could not pay.