Sweden on Wednesday joined Norway, France in turning down offer to join US President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace initiative for Gaza.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that Sweden will not participate in the proposed board, citing concerns over the initiative’s current structure and impartiality.
Sweden will not participate in the initiative with the text presented so far, Kristersson told reporters in Davos.
Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson has told reporters in Davos his country will not participate in Trump’s “board of peace” initiative under the text presented so far.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 21, 2026
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A government spokesperson in Stockholm said, “We cannot endorse a structure that fails to ensure neutrality and genuine representation for all stakeholders in Gaza.”
The board, presented by Trump as a mechanism to oversee Gaza reconstruction and so-called “stabilization”, has drawn criticism from multiple international actors.
Sweden’s decision highlights growing unease over the board’s composition. Critics argue that including leaders associated with previous destruction in Gaza undermines its legitimacy and risks sidelining Palestinian voices in reconstruction efforts.
Other European nations have expressed caution, while some Arab states have cautiously engaged with the initiative.
Both Norway and France have also said they will not join the board in its current format, while the United Kingdom has expressed concern over its makeup, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, have been offered positions on the board.
Norway DECLINES Trump's offer to join 'Board of Peace' — State Secretary Kristoffer Thoner
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Human rights groups welcomed Sweden’s stance, emphasizing that peace and reconstruction cannot be overseen by parties tied to prior aggression.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)