Overview
- Invitations have gone to more than 60 leaders, including Vladimir Putin, and sources say over 10 countries have signed on, though only a handful — the UAE, Morocco, Hungary, Belarus and Canada — have confirmed publicly.
- The draft charter gives the chairman authority to invite members, approve or veto decisions, break ties, and create or dissolve subsidiary bodies, with three‑year terms for states unless they contribute $1 billion in the first year to gain a permanent seat.
- France has indicated it will not join under current terms, prompting President Trump to threaten 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne, while Canada says it will participate but will not pay for a permanent seat.
- U.S. officials and invitation letters indicate the board’s remit could extend to global conflicts beyond Gaza, a shift that has led European officials and others to caution that it risks functioning as a rival to the U.N. Security Council.
- A signing event is planned for Thursday in Davos, and Israel has objected to aspects of related Gaza governance steps announced by Washington, as the charter remains nonpublic and under revision.