1 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: We'll go to our UK europe correspondent Gavin Gray given 2 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: good morning either right now, good to have you tell 3 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: us what because Trump is tweeting now about the Ukraine 4 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: potential talks happening on Thursday. But this all kicked off 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: because of the European leaders in Kiev at the weekend. 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: What's the latest here. 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. So European leaders meeting in Kiev on Saturday. 8 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: That was Germany's Frederick meets and Poland's Donald Tusk, Francis 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: Emmanual Macron, the UK Secure Starmer others were on a 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 2: virtual platform and they said, look, really, we think there's 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: one thing to push Russia on, and this is a 12 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 2: thirty day ceasefire proposal beginning on Monday, and the threat 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: hanging over Russia was to face new and massive sanctions. Well, 14 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: Russia came back first of all with government spokespstas saying 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: we won't be pressured into anything. And now President Putin 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 2: in a late night news conference, it's very unusual for him, 17 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: didn't give a clear response. Instead, he said, right, I 18 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: want now direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey next Thursday. 19 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 2: We gather the French, the Turkish president Richard Taya Birdawan 20 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: says he's okay to host. He's going to do that, 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: and we now think US Secretary State Marco Ruby is 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 2: off to Turkey. The question is, of course, what will 23 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: happen on Monday, in other words, in just a few 24 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 2: hours time European time, because will that cease fire kick 25 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: in or will things just continue as normal, which will 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 2: leave the plans of the European leaders rather in tatus. 27 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's that a calling a bluff and then a 28 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: double calling of a bluff. Right, Yeah, anyway, we hope 29 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 1: there's a meeting on Thursday. Tell us the Royal household 30 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: the cost to the text by the British text by 31 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: his tribled But it's all about Buckingham Palace basically, isn't it. 32 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, troubled in real terms in the last twelve to 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: thirteen years. You're right, Buckingham Palace is the big black 34 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 2: hole because there's a ten year program to modernize facilities 35 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: in the palace, including cabling. You wouldn't believe how ancient 36 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: the plumbing, the wiring and the new lifts going in 37 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 2: as well, and it's roughly going to cost eight hundred million. 38 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:14,119 Speaker 2: New Zealand dollars to do it over several years now. 39 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 2: Of course, that is being done with government money, with 40 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 2: taxpayer money. The Sovereign Grant, which provides taxpayer support for 41 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: the monarchy, was introduced to thirteen years ago at sixty 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 2: five million New Zealand dollars a year, and it's risen 43 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: now to just under the two hundred and eighty million 44 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: New Zealand dollars a year, so once inflation's taken into account, 45 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 2: it's roughly threefold, but most of that appears to be 46 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 2: going into Buckingham Palace. Now some dispute these figures. They 47 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 2: don't like the way it's been calculated. Republic, which doesn't 48 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 2: want the monarchy around, says all those figures do not 49 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 2: include the figures of security, and that is a massive 50 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: fee as well that should be added. In opinion polls, 51 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: those suggest monarchy remains still very popular. Ryan back in 52 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 2: fifty five percent viewed the monarchy positively, compared with thirty 53 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 2: six who saw it negatively. However, when it comes to 54 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: the money, the figures rather swap around, with fifty six 55 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 2: percent opposing twenty nine percent degreeing. And it seems people 56 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: over the age of sixty five think the raws are 57 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 2: good value for money, but much much fewer. Less than 58 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 2: half of the twenty five to forty nine year olds 59 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: think that's the case. 60 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: Interesting Stuffkevin, appreciate your time, Gavin Gray are UK europe correspondent. Interestingly, 61 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: that costs still lower than presidential head of state systems. 62 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 2: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live 63 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: to News Talks it Be from five am weekdays, or 64 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.