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FirstFT: Russia says it is prepared to let Kyiv join the EU

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Russia is no longer requesting Ukraine be “denazified” and is prepared to let Kyiv join the EU if it remains militarily non-aligned as part of ceasefire negotiations, according to four people briefed on the discussions.

Moscow and Kyiv are discussing a pause in hostilities as part of a possible deal that would involve Ukraine abandoning its drive for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees and the prospect of joining the EU, the people said anonymously because the matter was not yet finalised.

Alar Karis, president of Estonia, argues that a permanent, strengthened allied presence along Nato’s eastern flank will make it clear that it is poised for a forceful military response.

In other developments:

  • Sanctions: The US has warned Russian oligarchs and businesses that it is monitoring their financial transactions for any signs of sanctions evasion.

  • Energy: G7 energy ministers rejected Vladimir Putin’s demand that Russian gas should be paid for in roubles, raising concerns about Europe’s gas supplies.

  • Suspected poisoning: Roman Abramovich, the Russian owner of Chelsea Football Club, and two Ukrainian officials suffered poisoning symptoms in Kyiv.

  • US: Joe Biden said he was expressing “moral outrage” and not a call for regime change when he said Russian president Vladimir Putin must go. Biden has proposed increasing military funding 9.8 per cent.

Share your thoughts with us at firstft@ft.com and we may feature them in a future edition of the newsletter. Thanks for reading FirstFT Europe/Africa. Here’s the rest of today’s news — Jennifer.

1. UK ‘interested’ in joint N Ireland first ministers Downing Street is “interested” in creating joint first ministers in the region as part of a long-term strategy to improve the devolved administration’s functioning, according to officials. The first minister post has been held by a unionist since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, but polls put nationalist Sinn Féin on track for a historic election win in May.

2. Cleveland Clinic makes £1bn bet on London private healthcare The US group is opening central London’s first large-scale private hospital in four decades today as it makes a push into UK paid-for healthcare.

3. Middle East ministers hold talks in Israel on ‘common enemies’ Foreign ministers met for a summit in the Negev desert, the first such meeting on Israeli soil, as they try to co-ordinate responses to regional security threats including Iran.

4. Trump ‘more likely than not’ committed crime on January 6: judge says Judge David Carter in California wrote that former president Donald Trump and attorney John Eastman “launched a campaign to overturn a democratic election, an action unprecedented in American history”.

5. Will Smith under ‘formal review’ by Academy The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched a “formal review” after the actor struck comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars. Rock had made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has a shaved head and has spoken publicly about her hair loss.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith
Will Smith slaps Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith © Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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The day ahead

Russia-Ukraine peace talks Envoys are set to meet in Istanbul in a fourth round of discussions to end President Vladimir Putin’s invasion. At a minimum, Kyiv hopes to reach agreements on humanitarian corridors and aid for civilians.

Ericsson foreign shareholder vote It’s crunch time for the Swedish telecoms equipment maker as Norway’s $1.3tn oil fund and a top-10 shareholder will vote against discharging chief executive Borje Ekholm and other directors from liability over possible payments to terror group Isis.

Economic indicators Consumer confidence data are out for France, Germany and the US, which also releases February’s housing price index and money and consumer credit data.

Biden hosts Singapore PM The US president will welcome Lee Hsien Loong to the White House. The pair will discuss Ukraine as well as plans to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Reuters)

What else we’re reading

The Treasury’s EV headache Consumer appetite for electric vehicles has consistently run ahead of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s estimates, threatening revenues from fuel duty and vehicle excise duty. The UK government should explore replacements, writes our editorial board.

France votes Lingering resentment towards the Paris elite suggests a victory for presidential incumbent Emmanuel Macron would not for long suppress the anger that erupted with the anti-government gilets jaunes protests, or defang the extremist politicians who have tried to exploit it.

London shouldn’t be levelled down With national attention focused on levelling up less prosperous parts of the UK, the capital’s global reputation risks sinking if its transportation is not fixed, writes Sebastian Payne.

A cacophony of noise pollution Cities provide something for everybody: opportunities for employment; diversity and density, social benefits as well as social tensions. Yet the world’s greatest metropolises also hold environmental dangers for their residents: uncontrolled din.

Women at the Start Are you just at the beginning of your career or do you fancy a change of job? This special report is full of tips for new recruits. It also includes advice for women starting their own business and a guide to reverse mentoring schemes.

Books

Journalist-turned-author Adam LeBor rounds up the best new thrillers from spies and secrets in cold war Berlin to a haul of diamonds in Basel.

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