Emmanuel Macron has accused the UK government of not doing enough to help Ukrainians forced to flee their homeland by the war.
In an outspoken attack, the French president said Britain was failing to live up to its “grand statements” on helping refugees.
And he said those who are seeking to settle in the UK should be “better treated” by Boris Johnson’s administration.
According to The Guardian, Macron made the comments at the end of an EU summit in Versailles.
He criticised the UK administration for forcing those who have left Ukraine to apply for UK visas in person in Brussels or Paris.
Macron said: “Despite all the grand statements… the British government continued to apply current rules that meant they did not welcome Ukrainian refugees who wanted to reach British soil saying they have to travel hundreds of kilometres in order to apply for a visa.
“I would hope that the Ukrainian men and women who have lived through horror and crossed Europe to reach their families on UK territory will be better treated.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has faced widespread criticism for her department’s response to the crisis.
In a major U-turn on Thursday, Patel announced that from Tuesday people will be able to apply online for a visa and will no longer have to go to a processing centre to give their details.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is also set to unveil details of a new scheme which will allow companies or individuals to sponsor Ukrainian refugees who want to move to the UK.
In response to Macron’s reported remarks, the Home Office pointed to previous comments from Home Secretary Priti Patel, which stated: “We are now making the process quicker and simpler by removing the need to physically visit visa application centres for many of those who are making the perilous journey across Europe.”
On Thursday, Ms Patel announced that from Tuesday people will be able to apply online for a visa and will no longer have to go to a processing centre to give their biometrics.
Meanwhile, the Government is intending to further ramp up pressure on the Kremlin with plans to ban exports of luxury goods to Russia in the latest move to isolate Vladimir Putin.
Details of the plans will be set out in the coming days, Downing Street said.
But Labour said the ban on luxury goods “should not have taken this long”.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow international trade secretary, said: “Labour has been calling for weeks now for a ban on luxury goods being sent to Russia, so it is welcome that the UK Government have finally listened – but it should not have taken this long.
“We cannot allow Putin, and his cronies in Moscow, to live a Mayfair lifestyle while they kill innocent people in their illegal invasion of Ukraine.”