The Prince of Wales praised the “resilience” and “spirit” of Ukrainians as he met refugees who fled the country in Estonia.

Prince William reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine during the short, but “crucial” visit to the northern European country. 

On Friday, he will highlight the leading role of British troops stationed at the front line of Nato’s defence against Russia, joining them in a field exercise at Tapa Camp, the Army base just 80 miles from the Russian border.

The two-day solo visit was about six months in the making but comes at a particularly sensitive time, amid suggestions that British soldiers might be redeployed as peacekeepers in Ukraine.

The Prince’s first stop on arrival in Tallinn was the presidential office, where he spent about half an hour in talks with president Alar Karis, who told him how much Estonia valued Britain’s military presence.