Germany and US agree to send tanks to Ukraine

Hello from London. Tanks have dominated our coverage this week. After months of hesitation by Berlin, and a growing public outcry across Europe, Germany and the US have relented. They both announced they would?send main battle tanks to Ukraine.

Here’s why this is so important: the front line has barely moved in weeks and Kyiv hopes the addition of a western tank battalion will help break the stalemate and reconquer Russian-occupied territory. But will enough tanks be supplied and?will they really boost Ukraine’s odds?

Here’s another good read for you: our correspondents in Berlin and Washington tell?the inside story of how Olaf Scholz persuaded Joe Biden to make a policy U-turn.

My choices this week

1.?Emails and documents leaked to the FT reveal how the founder of the Wagner paramilitary group used leading corporate lawyers around the world to evade western sanctions. In our latest investigation,?we dive into the business affairs of ex-convict and warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin.

2.?Who is Esther Crawford, the product manager who has risen to become one of the most influential leaders at Twitter? We profile the?former Christian cult member who embraced Twitter’s new “hardcore” ethos?and won Elon Musk’s trust.?(Free to read)

3.?UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt was mercilessly teased on Twitter this week for trying to explain inflation using coffee cups and a black felt-tip pen. Explaining economics is difficult and, sometimes, dangerous, writes columnist Sarah O’Connor. Because?misunderstanding breeds mistrust.

4.?A new, publicly available text-generating system called ChatGPT promises to thrust AI into everyday life, and shake up the tech world.?But will it threaten your job??San Francisco bureau chief Richard Waters tries ChatGPT for himself.

5.?Throughout his career, Conservative party chair Nadhim Zahawi faced criticism for blurring the lines between business and politics. As UK prime minister Rishi Sunak orders an ethics inquiry into his tax affairs,?we tell the story of Zahawi’s rise, from the dusty oilfields of Iraqi Kurdistan to the upper echelons of British politics.?(Free to read)

6.?“I’ve never forced an actor into a feeling, because it doesn’t work.” Arts editor?Raphael Abrahams interviews director Darren Aronofsky?about his Oscar-nominated obesity drama?The Whale, and quizzes him on his notorious directing methods.

Thanks for reading,

Roula

PS?Don't miss our new app, FT Edit, which gives you access to eight articles that are handpicked by our editors every weekday. Invest your time in the stories that matter with our expert selection for just ￡0.99 per month for the first six months.

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