JAKARTA, Legal Literacy - The Russian government has confirmed that no Kremlin officials—including President Vladimir Putin—plan to attend the inaugural Board of Peace meeting scheduled for February 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, “No one from the Kremlin is planning anything,” adding that the invitation and meeting proposal are still being reviewed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Board of Peace is an initiative associated with U.S. President Donald Trump and is projected as a high-level forum that also serves as a fundraising event for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Several reports indicate that this inaugural meeting is aimed at promoting the continued implementation of the post-ceasefire agenda while mobilizing funding commitments for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Belarus also absent, Russia calls the plan “positive” but further steps are needed

In addition to Russia, Belarus is also said not to be directly attended by its leader. The press service of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that although he received an invitation, he could not attend the meeting in Washington.

Moscow's attitude towards the broader Gaza peace plan tends to be cautious. Russia has previously referred to the focus on stopping the bloodshed and humanitarian issues as a positive development, but still believes that…