FirstFT: Putin marks first anniversary of Ukraine invasion

Russian president Vladimir Putin defended his determination to invade Ukraine and promised to attain his conflict goals within the nation “step-by-step”.

In a state-of-the-union handle to Russia’s elite to mark the primary anniversary of the conflict on Friday, Putin hit out in opposition to the west who he mentioned was utilizing Ukraine as a “battering ram” to undermine Russia.

The speech adopted an intervention by China’s overseas minister earlier at this time who warned western international locations in opposition to “including gas to the hearth” in Ukraine.

China’s high diplomat Wang Yi is predicted to reach in Moscow at this time for talks and will meet Putin, in accordance with native media reviews. China is predicted to publish a peace plan to coincide with the primary anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

However western international locations are deeply sceptical of China’s involvement within the battle. US secretary of state Antony Blinken warned on the weekend that China was strongly contemplating supplying Russia with deadly weapons forward of an anticipated new offensive by Russian forces.

Ukraine has been urging its western allies to provide extra army tools to help a deliberate counteroffensive. Lower than half of the monetary help pledged to Ukraine by the west has really reached Kyiv since Russia’s invasion final yr, in accordance with evaluation of worldwide monetary help.

Putin’s speech contrasts with a extremely anticipated centrepiece handle by Joe Biden in Warsaw. The US president is predicted to spotlight two clashing world views and make the case for democracy prevailing within the battle in opposition to autocracy.

• Opinion: There is no such thing as a fast path to peace in Ukraine, writes Gideon Rachman. Either side have an incentive to maintain preventing.

The FT will maintain an unique webinar this Thursday for subscribers to debate the way forward for Russia’s brutal conflict on Ukraine with FT correspondents and particular company. Register right here free of charge.

5 extra tales within the information

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2. Israeli MPs vote by way of judicial reforms regardless of protests Israel’s parliament has voted to advance a bitterly contested judicial overhaul that has sparked mass protests throughout the nation and drawn concern from US officers. Tens of hundreds of Israelis rallied outdoors the parliament in opposition to the plans forward of the vote, which lastly passed off within the early hours of this morning.

3. Vanguard chief defends determination to tug asset supervisor out of local weather group Tim Buckley defended his determination to tug the world’s second-largest asset supervisor out of an industry-wide alliance to deal with local weather change. “We felt that our voice was being drowned out or confused,” Buckley instructed the Monetary Instances.

4. Contemporary tremors hit Turkey Three folks have been killed and greater than 200 hospitalised yesterday after two tremors measuring 6.4 and 5.8 in magnitude struck the southern Turkish province of Hatay, two weeks after the area was devastated by bigger earthquakes that killed virtually 45,000 folks.

5. Liverpool FC proprietor calls off sale The US proprietor of Liverpool FC has mentioned the membership is not going to be bought, capping three months of exploring choices for the English Premier League crew. John Henry, who additionally owns baseball’s Boston Pink Sox and ice hockey’s Pittsburgh Penguins, mentioned he was nonetheless contemplating new funding for the membership however doesn’t anticipate proudly owning it indefinitely.

The day forward

Firm outcomes Retailers Walmart and House Depot ought to present extra perception into the well being of the US shopper once they report outcomes this morning. Cryptocurrency trade Coinbase additionally reviews earnings earlier than the market opens. On line casino and lodge group Caesars Leisure, shale producer Chesapeake Power and hydrocarbon power firm Diamondback Power will report earnings after the market closes.

Supreme Courtroom The US’s highest courtroom will start listening to oral arguments in a pair of instances that would essentially alter the web’s future by altering the authorized safety given to on-line platforms corresponding to Google and Twitter for content material revealed on their websites.

What else we’re studying

Pfizer pins restoration hopes on file pipeline Pfizer gained plaudits for creating extremely efficient Covid-19 remedies that saved thousands and thousands of lives and generated file gross sales. However because the Covid emergency recedes, the US drugmaker is struggling to persuade Wall Avenue that it could handle a transition that it forecasts will slash annual revenues by virtually a 3rd.

How lengthy can Russia hold waging its conflict? To evaluate how lengthy Russia can maintain its conflict in opposition to Ukraine, the FT examines 4 areas: the forces on the battlefield, Russia’s inventory of munitions, the Kremlin’s financial conflict chest and peculiar Russians’ emotions concerning the conflict.

How Oxford college caught with Sacklers as opioid deaths led others to chop ties Whilst different establishments shunned the Sacklers, Oxford college continued to courtroom and take donations from the household on the coronary heart of the US opioid disaster, paperwork seen by the Monetary Instances reveal.

World Financial institution prepares for greener mission With the departure of Donald Trump appointee David Malpass, shareholders count on the World Financial institution to place local weather at its centre. Much less rich nations have been pushing for higher lending phrases and different help to assist them adapt to excessive climate. Some concern the brand new mission would possibly distract from the financial institution’s conventional growth mandate.

Singapore’s hovering rents dent finance hub ambitions Residential rents within the city-state have reached their highest on file, as a wave of latest arrivals have pushed up costs on a restricted provide of housing. The state of affairs underscores the price of Singapore’s marketing campaign to exchange Hong Kong because the Asian vacation spot for cash and funding.

Take a break from the information

After years spent as a “bottle brunette”, Grace Prepare dinner determined to reclaim her identification as a blonde and love her pure hair.