Kremlin rules out attendance at Washington Peace Council meeting

ISTANBUL

The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that Russian officials do not plan to attend the first meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled Feb. 19 in Washington, according to presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

"No one from the Kremlin is planning anything," Peskov told Russian media outlet RTVI, adding that the proposal for the meeting is currently being reviewed by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The gathering, first reported by international media outlets, citing invitation letters, is expected to serve as a leadership summit and fundraising conference for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip under an initiative launched by US President Donald Trump.

The Russian Foreign Ministry previously characterized the broader peace plan as a "positive development" for its focus on ending bloodshed and resolving humanitarian issues, though Moscow maintains that further efforts are needed to address the root causes of regional instability.

In a related development, the press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that while he received an invitation to the meeting, he will not be able to attend.

On Jan. 22, representatives of 19 countries signed the Charter of the Board of Peace on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Board of Peace was created within the framework of peaceful settlement efforts in Gaza. Washington has said additional states have since joined the initiative.

The first meeting is scheduled in Washington and is expected to take place at the level of leaders invited by the Trump administration to participate in the association.

Fundraising for the reconstruction of Gaza is set to be the central theme of the meeting.