Trump explains why he invited Putin to the Peace Council. Acknowledged that the list includes "controversial people"

President of the United States Donald Trump said he wanted to see people who "wield power" and "control the situation" in the Peace Council. He said this while explaining why he sent an invitation to the Russian dictator To Vladimir Putin, quoted by the TV company CNN.

Trump said on Wednesday that Putin has agreed to join his proposed Peace Council, a body designed to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza.

The American president was asked why he decided to invite the Russian dictator.

"Because we want everybody to be. We want everybody to be a country where people are in control, people have power, so we'll never have a problem," Trump said.

He added that this is the best council ever created. The American president acknowledged that Putin's invitation could cause controversy.

"Yes, I have some controversial people in it, but they are people who do their job. So, he was invited. He accepted the invitation," he summarized.

Earlier in the day, at a meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin did not confirm his intention to join the Peace Council, but said that the Foreign Ministry would "study the documents" and "consult with strategic partners."

He also proposed using Russian assets frozen in the West to pay a $1 billion fee for a permanent seat on the Peace Council.

• On January 18, 2026, it was reported that the Trump administration wants to at least $1 billion from countries seeking a permanent seat on its Peace Council.
• On January 19, it became known that Macron does not plan to accept Trump's invitation to join the so-called Peace Council. In total the invitation was received by leaders of five dozen countries.