The talks between Russia and the US over negotiating the end of the Ukraine war make the front of several newspapers. The Financial Times calls it an “extraordinary turn of events in a matter of days”, saying the sight of Russian and US flags flying next to each other was “almost unthinkable even a few weeks ago”. The paper says it has sparked fears in Ukraine and EU states that President Donald Trump will settle the conflict on Moscow’s terms, after the US previously said Ukraine’s ambition to join Nato and reclaim land taken by Russia were not “realistic”.
As part of their provisional agreement, the US and Russia agreed that Ukraine must hold elections before any peace deal was reached, reports the Daily Telegraph. The paper says it raises concerns that Russia could use the ballot to oust Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and “install a pro-Putin candidate who would agree to peace terms favourable to Moscow”. The Telegraph says some polls suggest voters’ support for Zelensky dropping to about 50% in late 2024.
The Guardian says the talks saw US and Russia agree to focus on the “economic and investment opportunities” that could come out of ending the war. The paper points out that the high-level discussions, which were the most extensive negotiations between the two countries in three years, marked a “clear break” with the Biden administration’s attempt to isolate Moscow.
The i newspaper focuses on Russia’s refusal to accept foreign peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of any deal – something that the UK and some other European countries had suggested. It sets the UK on a “collision course” with Russia, the i says. The paper adds that UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – who earlier this week said he would consider sending British troops to Ukraine – is preparing to “double down” on his plans.
But according to the Times, the UK is exploring other ways of providing security guarantees to Ukraine in any peace deal – rather than necessarily sending in large numbers of troops on the ground. It cites a government source as suggesting there could be an “air policing” mission. In theory, says the Times, dozens of Typhoon fighter jets could patrol Ukraine’s skies.
Away from Ukraine, the Daily Mail focuses on a row between Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and the most senior judge in England and Wales over comments made about an immigration case. Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr said on Tuesday she was “deeply troubled” by “unacceptable” remarks by Badenoch and Sir Keir about how a judge handled a decision over whether to let a Gaza family stay in the UK. The Mail says Badenoch has now “hit back”, saying politicians have a right to speak out about the judiciary.
The Duchess of Sussex features in several of the papers after she announced a new name for her forthcoming lifestyle brand. But the Sun says Meghan has been accused of copying the coat of arms from a Majorcan town for her logo. The mayor of Porreres was reportedly “stunned” by the similarities, telling the paper: “We will ask Meghan to remove the logo from their website.” “Duchess facing pain in Spain,” quips the paper.
The Mirror has an exclusive interview with the mother of Alice da Silva Aguiar, one of the three girls killed in the Southport attack. The paper says Alex Aguiar has paid a loving tribute to her daughter in her first public comments since the attack, saying she and her husband’s lives were complete with Alice. “We had everything,” she tells the paper.
The Metro focuses on Thames Water winning the High Court’s approval to borrow a £3bn rescue loan to keep it afloat. The UK’s largest water and waste company – which supplies about 16 million households in London and the South East – was about to run out of cash by the end of March. The paper says it’s part of the “scandal of Britain’s waterworks”, saying three other water companies have separately asked the regulator Ofwat to let them raise bills again to help them fix their infrastructure.
The Daily Star reports on a survey on people in the UK’s love of pyjamas – saying that 60% of workers change into their PJs as soon as they get home after work. Half of people who work from home also wear them all day, the paper adds.
And the Daily Express reports on the latest in the row between farmers and the government over planned changes to inheritance tax rules for farms. The paper says farmers are furious and say their blood was “boiling” after talks between farmers’ union and the Treasury on Tuesday. Farmers say the government were “deaf” to their concerns. The government says it “strongly believe this is a fair and balanced approach which helps fix the public services we all rely on”.
A number of the front pages focus on the meeting between senior American and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, about ending the war in Ukraine.
The Guardian says the two parties agreed to explore the “economic and investment opportunities” that would be created by a truce.
The paper says the meeting marks a tectonic shift in Washington’s approach to Russia, and a clear break with the Biden administration’s efforts to isolate Moscow.
The Financial Times called it an extraordinary turn of events, with a backdrop that would have been unthinkable even a few weeks ago.
The Daily Telegraph has the headline “Zelensky could fall as price of peace”. The paper says Donald Trump has demanded Volodymyr Zelensky hold elections in Ukraine before any peace settlement.
This, says the Telegraph, raises concerns that Russia will use the ballot to oust Mr Zelensky, and install a pro-Putin candidate.
“Typhoons may help to keep peace in Ukraine” is the headline for the Times, which says Britain is exploring ways of providing security guarantees for Ukraine without the need to deploy large numbers of troops.
It believes an “air policing” mission using fighter jets is one such consideration.
“UK on collision course with Russia over peacekeeping troops in Ukraine” is the headline for the i newspaper – which points out that Russia has explicitly rejected the idea of Western forces stationed on Ukrainian territory.
EPA
Zelensky is in Turkey for talks with the president
The Daily Mail leads on the comments by the most senior judge in England and Wales about Sir Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch.
The paper says Lady Chief Justice Carr issued a “rare rebuke”, after the pair criticised an immigration ruling which allowed a Palestinian family from Gaza to gain asylum through the Ukraine refugee scheme.
According to the Mail, the Conservative leader warned the judge that politicians had a right to speak out, because “Parliament was sovereign”.
“Our blood was boiling” are the words on the front page of the Daily Express, which says representatives of the farming sector were left furious by a meeting with ministers yesterday.
The paper says the talks collapsed after the government showed “no movement” on the decision to introduce inheritance tax for farms worth more than £1m.
In its opinion column, the Express called the government’s claim that the tax revenue was needed to pay for the NHS a “despicable insult”.
The Guardian features research published in the Lancet, which shows improvements in life expectancy are stalling across Europe, with the biggest slowdown in the UK.
The paper quotes health experts who are blaming a mixture of poor diet, obesity and “mass inactivity”. But the study’s author says Europe hasn’t reached a “natural longevity ceiling”.
It says the mayor of the Majorcan town of Porreres is considering legal action against the Duchess of Sussex, because of similarities between the town’s crest, and the new logo of Meghan’s lifestyle brand.
Both feature a palm tree flanked by two birds in flight. The mayor said she didn’t want the town’s badge – which is believed to be more than six centuries old – “perverted”.
EPA
