This comes amid a sharp escalation in Russian attacks on Ukraine, including a major aerial assault on Kyiv. While the EU has proposed lowering the cap to $45 as part of its latest sanctions, Mr Zelensky called that a “compromise price” and insisted that stronger economic measures are needed to curb Russia’s war efforts. “Russia’s ability to continue the war is equal to its ability to sell its oil and bypass financial barriers,” the president said.

“That is why it is necessary … to do everything possible to keep the price of Russian oil lower than they can withstand. Each of the partners knows what price cap is needed — $30, no higher. Such a price level will mean real pressure on Russia – they should be forced to seek peace.”

He added: “Enough compromises with Russia. Every such compromise is a postponement of peace. We are asking for a real reduction in the price of Russian oil, which would bring us closer to ending the war.” “It is vital that there is no silence in response to the Russian escalation, and it is obvious that there is an escalation,” he said.

“Russia has been steadily increasing the number of lethal weapons in strikes for months now.” A Russian military aircraft allegedly violated Finland’s airspace on 10 June, the country’s defence ministry said in a statement. “The investigation into the suspect’s airspace breach has been launched immediately,” Finnish defence minister Antti Hakkanen said.

The ministry added the “Border Guard is investigating the case and will provide more information as the investigation progresses”. The alleged airspace violation occurred near the city of Porvoo, about 50km east of Helsinki. On 22 May, two Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace, while the day prior, Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

Poland’s newly elected president Karol Nawrocki has warned that Russia is the “biggest threat” his country faces, as he expressed a desire to meet with Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who is perhaps the European leader most closely aligned with Vladimir Putin.

It was not yet clear what Mr Nawrocki’s policy on Ukraine would be, but he reiterated that he opposed Kyiv’s plans to join the European Union. However, Poland supports Ukraine strategically, because “the greatest threat to me, as an anti-communist, and in my opinion to the entire region, is the Russian Federation”, he said. Mr Nawrocki claimed that “Ukraine must also understand that other countries – including Poland, Hungary, and other European nations – have interests of their own.”

And in his first foreign interview, given to a Hungarian magazine Mandiner, Mr Nawrocki said that Budapest is a “very important partner for Poland”, adding: “We are facing serious tasks, such as building the Visegrad Group, which will be an important format for me, as well as strengthening Nato’s eastern flank and the Bucharest Nine.”

He added: “I certainly wish to meet prime minister Viktor Orban, who is a very effective politician, as proven by his repeated election results in Hungary. And I count on good cooperation with him, just as with other countries, in the interest of the region.”

Mr Orban said on Friday that Mr Nawrocki’s victory was “fantastically good”, hailing the success of an ally of US president Donald Trump. A Ukraine maternity hospital has been hit after Russia launched a deadly wave of drones and missiles in an attack on Odesa early Tuesday morning (10 June).

At least two people were killed and nine injured in the attack with the maternity hospital and residential buildings in the centre of the southern port city damaged, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said.

The fresh attacks came hours after Moscow launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment in the three-year war. Ukrainian and Western officials have been anticipating a Russian response to Ukraine’s audacious June 1 drone attack on distant Russian air bases.