Kosovo accepts US invitation to join Gaza Board of Peace

Kosovo has accepted an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the Board of Peace, a US-led international body established to support efforts to end the conflict in Gaza, the nation's president said Wednesday.

On social media, Vjosa Osmani said she was deeply honored to have been invited by Trump to represent Kosovo as one of the board's founding members.

Emphasizing Kosovo's close alliance with Washington, Osmani said the country stands "shoulder to shoulder" with the United States in pursuit of a safer world.

"True leadership does not only speak about peace, it makes it happen. This is exactly what President Trump has done with this historic initiative," she said.

Osmani said the US played a key role in helping bring peace to Kosovo, stressing that Pristina, as a steadfast US ally, is ready to contribute to advancing peace efforts.

"History remembers those who take courageous steps to build peace, and we are ready to do so," she added.

The US is expected to announce the official list of members in the coming days. Several countries have said they received invitations to join the Board of Peace in recent days, including Türkiye, Argentina, Belarus, Canada, Australia, Egypt, Hungary, Pakistan, Jordan, Israel, India, and Russia.

Last Friday, the White House announced the formation of the Board of Peace alongside the approval of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, one of four bodies designated to manage the transitional phase in the enclave.

The board's creation coincided with the launch of phase two of a ceasefire agreement that halted Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71,000 people and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

The initiative is part of a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and adopted by the UN Security Council last November.