Russia has "always looked positively on any peace initiatives" with Ukraine, Vladimir Putin told state TV yesterday, and "we hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way".

The Russian president's statement came after his surprise "Easter truce" ended with both sides accusing each other of multiple violations of the short-lived agreement.

What did the commentators say?
The "sceptical view" is that the 30-hour cessation was "less about pushing for peace" and "more to do with maintaining good relations with the Trump White House" as it grows "impatient with the lack of progress on Ukraine", said BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg.

"But there is also a more optimistic view": that while the truce was a "surprise", it "did not come out of nowhere" and was the result of "intense international diplomacy to try to end the fighting".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's threat to walk away from the negotiating table last week "appeared to trigger Putin's weekend offer", said The i Paper's Hugo Gye, "but hopes for a lasting ceasefire between the warring nations were quickly dampened".

The Russia president's "hopelessly short-lived" truce appears to have been "aimed directly" at Donald Trump and at "shifting blame for his disastrous peacemaking efforts in the Ukraine war", said CNN.

What next?
In what could be a "decisive week", said The Kyiv Independent, Ukraine is set to continue talks with US and European countries in London on Wednesday. The "primary task" of negotiations "to push for an unconditional ceasefire", said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But Putin has so far shown little willingness to compromise, especially now that he "feels he's negotiating from a position of strength", said Al Jazeera.

His aim is to "use the Trump administration's self-professed 'peace-making' ambitions to his advantage". Having launched a massive conscription drive, Putin's strategy is to "drag out ceasefire negotiations until US military aid runs out and the Russian army is able to advance far enough into Ukrainian territory to force Kyiv into capitulation".

"The meteoric rise of Dubai chocolate has triggered a global pistachio supply crunch," said the Financial Times.

The luxury chocolate, stuffed with pistachio cream, was a "modest hit" when first launched by Emirati chocolatier FIX in 2021. But a video posted on TikTok in December 2023 – now viewed more than 120 million times – turned it into a "global sensation".

The "worldwide craze" has led to a "worldwide shortage" of pistachio kernels, with prices soaring from $7.65 (£5.70) a pound a year ago to about $10.30 (£7.70), said Giles Hacking of nut trader CG Hacking. "The pistachio world is basically tapped out at the moment."

'Nut of the year'
Pistachios have "long polarised the world's taste buds", said The Guardian. In 2008, the US surpassed Iran (where the nut is native) to become the world's top exporter.

Pistachio trees are "drought-resistant"; their deep roots can withstand a limited water supply. As the climate crisis intensifies, investment in crops that don't need much water, particularly in drought-plagued California, caused pistachios to "flood the market, turning the luxury nut into an accessible flavour for everything from coffee syrups to shower gel". In 2023, pistachios were named "nut of the year", further fuelling demand.

'This is why we can't have nice things'
Pistachios aren't the only example that "epitomises the notion of 'this is why we can’t have nice things'", said The Independent.

Another "bougie consumable" is matcha, powdered green tea used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. "Spurred on" by social media posts "championing matcha-infused everything", production "nearly tripled to meet demand" between 2010 and 2023. Its "fashionable status" caused a global shortage and surging prices. The small Japanese town of Uji, which specialises in matcha production, was "ill-equipped for this sudden Western clamouring" and has come under "massive strain".

Avocados are also "increasingly controversial" due to the strain they put on the planet, said environmental researcher Thomas Davies on The Conversation.

"In the face of such evidence, it's hard to argue that our bougie taste in snacks isn't destroying the planet," said The Independent. Demand dictates supply, but supply chains "simply aren't set up" for viral videos or "the overnight stardom that comes courtesy of an algorithmic quirk".

"However good the latest food and drink craze looks on your feed, it's masking the ugly truth beneath: virality and sustainability simply aren't compatible."

With its cypress tree-lined meadows and neatly manicured vineyards, Tuscany is an "oenophile's paradise", said The Times. The region is home to some of the planet's most noteworthy wine areas, from Chianti to Montepulciano.

Tuscan wine tours are an "immersive" experience that offer a fascinating insight into the region's "fabric and history", said Decanter. Chianti country is just a short drive from the "charming" city of Florence. Set on a mountain slope overlooking the Arno River Valley in the heart of Chianti Rùfina, Castello di Nipozzano is one of the oldest estates in the area. Tastings take place inside the 1,000-year-old castle, and visitors can take a tour of the "monumental" cellars used to age the estate's precious vintages.

For something more "modern", Antinori nel Chianti Classico is an excellent option. Opened in 2013, the "slick" winery was designed by renowned Italian architect Marco Casamonti to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding environment. The winery is partially "hidden"; most of it lies underground, where huge terracotta vaults create the "perfect climatic conditions" for the barrels. Consider taking the two-and-a-half hour Bottaia Cru tour, which includes a tasting in a beautiful suspended glass room and lunch at the rooftop restaurant.

Around a two-hour drive away in Montepulciano, the "unassuming" entrance of Cantina De' Ricci leads to a "labyrinth of ancient stone cellars" with vaulted ceilings and exposed brick walls, said Glamour. Known as the "Cathedral Winery", this "unique" landmark is an "unmissable" spot for history and architecture enthusiasts.

If Trump passes on Ukraine, it'll be up to us
William Hague in The Times
The US has "threatened to give up trying" to bring peace to Ukraine, writes former Tory leader William Hague, but "threats to walk away" only "incentivise" Vladimir Putin to carry on. "Peace is not bought off a shelf" – there must be "trust that each side will act in good faith, and a conviction" that they "cannot achieve more by fighting on". And if the war continues with "dwindling" US assistance, it will "place greater and more immediate demands" on Europe.

British food isn't just what we eat, it tells the story of our nation
Steve Reed in the Daily Express
In this "insecure world" of "conflict" and "international trade tensions", buying locally grown produce means we're "less exposed" when imported food is "suddenly not available" or "shoots up in price", writes Environment Secretary Steve Reed. Whether it's Welsh lamb or Scottish beef "with all the best British trimmings", we should be "proud" of our "impressive natural larder". The government is "backing British food" with "investment and action", to "boost" farm businesses' profitability and increase food production.

I'm training my daughter to have a posh accent – I'm so ashamed
Rebecca Reid in The i Paper
I know that a person's accent "has no bearing on how clever they are", writes Rebecca Reid, but "I am actively raising my three-year-old to have my accent", rather than "my partner's", who was "raised in Yorkshire". My partner is also teaching my daughter to speak with my tones, "turning his back on his natural accent", because "we both know the privilege that comes from sounding like I do". So we're giving her "my advantageous accent – however problematic that might be".