Volodymyr Zelensky said European leaders must not allow themselves to be “blackmailed” by Vladimir Putin in a swipe at Viktor Orban’s “peace mission”.

Addressing the opening session of the European Political Community, Mr Zelensky said: “Putin cannot sustain relationships with truly strong leaders, and this is our advantage, but it remains an advantage only as long as we are united. 

“He may try to approach you or go to some of your partners individually, trying to tempt or pressure you, to blackmail you, so that one of you betrays the rest – weakening our unity.

“Yes, everyone chooses for themselves how to act, of course, and what legacy to leave. But if someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind others’ backs or even at the expense of someone else, if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war – to talk and perhaps promise something against our common interests or at the expense of Ukraine or other countries, then why should we consider such a person?”

It was a clear barb aimed at Mr Orban, prime minister of Hungary, who has held negotiations with Putin in Moscow in the hope of brokering a ceasefire. 

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