MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Russia would study US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace.”
“The Russian foreign ministry has been charged with studying the documents that were sent to us and to consult on the topic with our strategic partners,” Putin said during a televised government meeting. “It is only after that we’ll be able to reply to the invitation.”
He said that Russia could pay the billion dollars being asked for permanent membership “from the Russian assets frozen under the previous American administration.”
He added that the assets could also be used “to reconstruct the territories damaged by the hostilities, after the conclusion of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.”
Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board.
Although originally meant to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, the board’s charter does not seem to limit its role to the Palestinian coastal enclave and appears to want to rival the United Nations, drawing the ire of some US allies including France.
Russia will examine Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invite: Putin
https://arab.news/27j9b
Russia will examine Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ invite: Putin
- Invites were sent to dozens of world leaders with a request for $1 billion for a permanent seat on the board
South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
- South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
