Gerald Darmanin, Priti Patel’s French counterpart, wrote to her on Sunday saying the UK’s approach demonstrated a “lack of humanity” towards those “in distress”.

Four days later the Home Secretary eased border rules so Ukrainians can apply for entry to the UK online and only need to provide biometric data after arrival.

Asked about the change at a press conference after an EU leaders’ summit in Versailles, he said: “It’s a glimmer of pragmatism. It’s going in the right direction, although much remains to be done. I think the French interior minister’s letter was probably a useful one.

“I’d like to thank the UK Government for this first step, and it’s over the coming days that we’ll be able to see whether it’s enough or whether more effective measures are going to be required.

“And I’d hope the Ukrainian men and women who have lived through horrors, who have crossed Europe to reach their families on UK territory, will be better treated.”

Schools prepare to take Ukrainian children

Britain is preparing for schools to take as many as 100,000 Ukrainian refugee children in areas with high expat populations.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, has ordered officials to map school places in the expat areas to establish if they have enough spare capacity to take the potential influx of 100,000 children or will require surge funding to pay for extra classrooms.