Volodymyr Zelensky picked up a call from Emmanuel Macron, only to tell him that he’d have to phone him back, because he was on a live video briefing with journalists.

In an a strange scene streamed live to reporters, the Ukrainian leader immediately identified the caller, saying: “Sorry Emmanuel, I [was] just having a conversation with some journalists.

“Can I ring you back in some minutes, 15-20 minutes? Yes please, thank you, Emmanuel. OK, great. Bye, bye,” he said, before putting the phone down.

Then, adopting a more formal tone, he told the waiting journalists: “That was President Macron, we have a conversation on average once a day, he’s helping a lot.”

“I will call him back after our conversation,” he added.

Mr Macron has remained one of Mr Zelensky’s closest allies throughout the three-year war, with France and Britain taking the lead in European efforts to secure a peacekeeping solution for Ukraine after the conflict ends.