The Mail says Russian President Vladimir Putin is “under huge pressure” to end the war in Ukraine, as it and other papers lead on the United States’ peace plan.
The paper says a “dramatic breakthrough” saw the Ukrainian president back the proposal, just 11 days after a public bust-up with President Donald Trump.
The Times says the US has declared that it is up to Russia to respond. According to the paper, this marks the first time since Trump’s return to office that Washington has publicly put pressure on Russia to compromise and come to the table.
“Ceasefire in Ukraine – if Putin agrees,” is how the I paper sums up the situation. It says Trump expects to speak to Putin in the coming days as Kyiv insists that European partners are involved in the peace process.
The Telegraph’s main headline reads: “Putin told to agree Ukraine ceasefire”. It quotes a Ukrainian official as saying the proposed ceasefire is “partly” designed to call Putin’s bluff over whether he is genuinely committed to peace talks.
“Let’s see what happens, but I give it less than a 50% chance that they [Russia] will agree,” the official tells the Telegraph.
The Mirror leads with the three life terms handed down to Kyle Clifford, for murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC racing commentator John Hunt. The paper says Clifford will die in prison for the killing of his former girlfriend, Louise, her sister, Hannah, and their mother, Carol.
The Mirror’s headline echoes the words expressed by Mr Hunt in his victim impact statement: “Jail .. then hell.”
“I am so proud of all my girls,” is the headline on the Express. The paper highlights Mr Hunt’s tribute in court to his family before he went on to say: “Unlike you, Kyle, at every step of their lives, they made the correct choices to improve themselves.”
The Sun leads with a report that a former senior assistant to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl. Sam Gould, 33, resigned from the role, after admitting indecent exposure in East London. He will be sentenced next month.
In a statement, Streeting has said he is “shocked and horrified”, adding that no-one should have to endure this behaviour. He called on Gould to resign as a Redbridge councillor immediately.
The Guardian reports that a radical blueprint for reforming the state is being drawn up by government officials. The paper understands that the plan includes a crackdown on quangos and thousands more civil service job cuts.
A spokesman for the prime minister would not say which bodies could be affected, but tells the paper that Sir Keir Starmer thinks the state has become “passive” when it comes to decisions. According to the Guardian, the plan has been given the name Project Chainsaw.
The paper calls it an explicit reference to Elon Musk wielding a chainsaw to symbolise controversial government cuts under Trump’s administration.
Finally, Manchester United’s plans to build the biggest football stadium in the UK prompts debate in the papers. The Telegraph calls it United’s “£2bn stadium gamble”. The Financial Times says United is taking on the Eiffel Tower, while the Star asks if the taxpayer will get a big bill for what it coins “Gold Trafford”.
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