Allies tepid on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ with invited leaders wondering how it will work

Key allies reacted coolly on Monday to US President Donald Trump’s invitation to pay US$1 billion for a permanent spot on his “Board of Peace” for resolving international conflicts, with analysts likening it to a pay-to-play version of the UN Security Council.The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.Israel has also been asked to join the board, an Israeli official said on Monday, while France is holding off from accepting for now.It is not known whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the offer, said the Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a behind-the-scenes diplomatic matter.Russia, Belarus, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Union’s executive arm also were among the latest to receive invitations.It is unclear how many leaders have been asked to join the board and the large number of invitations being sent out, including to countries that do not get along, has raised questions about the board’s mandate and decision-making processes.