The Green leader, who is Jewish, made the remarks as part of his campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection

Grant Shapps, the former Conservative defence secretary, has warned government cuts to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme may “send the wrong message to [Vladimir] Putin” that the West is wavering in its support for Kyiv.

From 1 January, payments to refugee hosts will fall from £350 to £100 a month, while council funding per arrival will drop from £5,900 to £3,300.

Nataliya Rumyantseva is hosting her mother, the first Ukrainian to arrive in the UK after the war started. She said the changes were likely to have a significant impact.

“When refugees arrive here from Ukraine, they are shellshocked and need time to adapt and learn the language. If hosting changes to become a more commercial rental arrangement, I think that’s cruel.”

One host who lives in Greenwich said he did not know if he would be able to continue hosting because of the drop in payments. “I’ve been a sponsor since May 2022. I was dismayed to learn that thank you payments are reducing to just £100,” he said.

“I lost my job within months of becoming a sponsor and these payments have become an absolute lifeline even though I did not volunteer for this scheme for the money. I genuinely worry about the consequences of this change for Ukrainians in the UK.”