Argentine President Javier Milei on Thursday, February 19, 2026, reaffirmed his strong support for the U.S.-led Board of Peace initiative and offered to deploy Argentine peacekeeping forces and the country’s renowned White Helmets (Los Casco Blancos) humanitarian agency to contribute to stabilization and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., Milei praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s leadership and described the $10 billion private initiative as “a peace plan that has been comprehensive and stable.” He emphasized that the Board represents “diplomacy that takes risks to achieve peace” and “leadership that confronts complex challenges with determination.”
“We believe in diplomacy that takes risks to achieve peace. We believe in leadership that confronts complex challenges with determination, such as that of President Donald Trump, and we believe that the only peace worth building is one founded on the inalienable rights of man,” Milei stated. “The Board of Peace offers a framework to move in that direction.”
Argentina is among the founding signatory nations of the Board of Peace, an independent international governing body established by President Trump to oversee post-conflict reconstruction, stabilization, and long-term governance in Gaza following the Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023.
In his remarks, Milei announced Argentina’s readiness to contribute personnel to the Board’s proposed stabilization force. He specifically offered the deployment of Argentina’s White Helmets—the national emergency response and humanitarian assistance agency established in 1994 under the Foreign Ministry. The White Helmets have conducted operations in more than 80 countries, specializing in disaster relief, search-and-rescue, medical assistance, and community-based reconstruction in conflict and post-conflict zones.
“In this initial stage, Argentina is ready to contribute. We are offering the collaboration of our White Helmets. Our track record in peace operations is proven capital that we place at the service of the stabilization force,” Milei declared.
The Argentine leader highlighted his country’s deepening strategic alignment with the United States and its consistent support for Israel under his administration. Milei has repeatedly expressed admiration for Trump and described Argentina’s founding membership in the Board of Peace as “an honor.” He has positioned Argentina as a firm ally of Israel in international forums, including strong condemnations of Hamas and support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
“We need institutions with both the will and the capacity to enforce the rules. Lasting peace is not built on compromises that yield on fundamental principles; it is built on the determination to defend them,” he added.
Milei’s offer comes as the Board of Peace begins operational planning following Trump’s February 19 announcement of a $10 billion personal endowment to create an independent entity focused on conflict prevention, mediation, rapid-response stabilization, and humanitarian support. The Board aims to operate outside traditional UN frameworks while complementing multilateral efforts, with an emphasis on private-sector innovation and direct national contributions.
Argentina’s participation reflects Milei’s broader foreign-policy pivot toward closer alignment with the United States and Israel since taking office in December 2023. Buenos Aires has already strengthened bilateral military and intelligence cooperation with Washington and maintained a vocal pro-Israel stance in the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies.
The White Helmets agency, formally known as the Argentine Humanitarian Aid Brigade, has a long history of deploying to crisis zones worldwide, including earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria, flood response in Pakistan, and post-conflict stabilization missions in the Middle East and Latin America. Its inclusion in the Board’s stabilization efforts would represent Argentina’s most significant direct contribution to Gaza reconstruction since the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The inaugural meeting gathered representatives from several founding nations, including Albania, Romania, and others, all of which have pledged specific humanitarian, reconstruction, or stabilization support for Gaza. Discussions focused on establishing operational guidelines, identifying priority projects (including child protection, digital infrastructure, and institutional rebuilding), and coordinating with existing humanitarian actors.
Milei’s speech and offer of forces and White Helmets personnel mark one of the most concrete military and humanitarian commitments announced at the Board’s first session. The proposal now awaits coordination with relevant international partners, including the United Nations, regional stakeholders, and humanitarian corridor facilitators, to determine feasibility, logistics, and rules of engagement.
As the Gaza conflict continues into its 17th month, with widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and ongoing humanitarian needs, Argentina’s pledge underscores a growing willingness among certain Latin American nations to engage actively in Middle East stabilization efforts under the new Board of Peace framework.
President Trump is expected to respond formally to Milei’s offer in the coming days as the Board moves toward launching its first pilot projects.
