Defying a wave of international hesitancy, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has pledged to attend the first meeting of Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ in Washington this week. The commitment highlights a divide in global responses to the US-led peace initiative.
In a candid podcast discussion with Flasim, Rama affirmed, ‘I will stay in Washington to become part of the Peace Board.’ He firmly rejected paying dues for founding or permanent membership, calling it an entitlement for Albania based on its early involvement.
Trump introduced the board during his Davos speech in January, where 19 nations endorsed the founding document. He envisioned it as a transformative force to halt wars and promote lasting tranquility, responding to what he described as the planet’s pressing peace deficit.
Contrastingly, heavyweights like Croatia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, and Russia have rebuffed invitations. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova explicitly ruled out attendance, while Minister Sergey Lavrov referenced ongoing reviews influenced by cautious feedback from major powers across the geopolitical spectrum, including UN Security Council permanents.
This development spotlights Albania’s strategic alignment with Trump’s vision, even as others demand structural overhauls. The upcoming assembly could test the board’s credibility: can it forge alliances despite boycotts, or will absences undermine its authority? As world leaders weigh in, the initiative’s future hangs in the balance.