Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ Includes Country That Putin Used to Stage Invasion of Ukraine

Belarusian Presidential Press Service via AP

The charter for President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace claims the organization aims to “secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.” Some of its member states seem less than committed to that goal.

The president faced widespread backlash for his highly controversial invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is reportedly still considering accepting a place on the board. But for all the scrutiny Trump received for inviting the nation still waging the deadly war to conquer Ukraine, another member’s role in the conflict has gone relatively unnoticed.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed an agreement to join Trump’s Board of Peace on Tuesday, saying he hoped to contribute toward peace in Ukraine. Yet Lukashenko has continuously aided Putin in his invasion from the very beginning.

When Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, some of them entered from Belarus, located just 50 miles north of Kyiv.

Lukashenko allowed more than 30,000 Russian troops to gather in his country under the guise of joint training exercises, claiming the forces would return to Russia after the exercises were completed. Instead, Belarus became a crucial staging and training ground for the Russian military– a role the nation has continued to play.

Trump has voiced his respect for Lukashenko in the past, calling the man long accused of egregious human rights abuses a “highly respected” president. The country was notably absent from his “Liberation Day” tariffs, as was Russia– though Ukraine made the list.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Belarus of aiding Russian aggression numerous times, noting the two nations’ inclusion in the Board of Peace as a barrier to Ukraine joining the group.

“Honestly, Russia is our enemy. Belarus is their ally. For me, it’s very hard to imagine how we could be together with Russia in one council. Russia is a war council,” Zelensky told reporters on Messenger on Thursday. “And Belarus is with them – specifically the Lukashenko regime.”

A 2025 UN report on the situation in Belarus “found that men and women in detention had been routinely subjected to torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, electric shocks and threats of rape not only detainees but their partners as well. Security forces displayed marked brutality towards LGBTIQ+ individuals, using physical violence and dehumanizing language.”

Lukashenko has said he has “no regrets” about allowing his “older brother” Putin to use Belarus to invade Ukraine.

“I do not regret anything,” he said in response to a question at a press conference last year.

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