Russian President Vladimir Putin is “fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a mass murderer” akin to Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin, according to a Nato state foreign minister.

       The 72-year-old Kremlin chief is already responsible for almost one million victims after his bloody invasion of Ukraine, claimed Jan Lipavsky, foreign minister of the Czech Republic.Mr Lipavsky made clear that Europe must urgently strengthen its defences to halt the Russian tyrant.

       “It seems Vladimir Putin is fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a mass murderer,” he said in a television interview.

       “He is already responsible for nearly a million victims.“In the rankings, he is beginning to play in the same league as the greatest mass murderers like Stalin or Hitler. That is the grim reality.”

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       Mr Lipavsky warned: “The dictator Putin does not recognise [Volodymyr] Zelensky as a president, does not recognise Ukrainians as a nation, and does not recognise Ukraine as a state.

       “Supposedly, they are not partners for him, so he continues to attack.

       “Therefore, peace must be achieved through strength so that Russian attacks become ineffective and Putin is forced to reconsider his position.”

       Prague’s top diplomat added: “I like the words [of the future American president, Donald Trump], about peace through strength.

       “For Europe to be taken seriously, we must be strong enough. We cannot just talk.

       “And I believe that Putin will understand that too…. Peace must be just. It’s not about Ukraine simply surrendering or us giving up our security.

       “Peace must be such that it stops Russian aggression for good. And that can be achieved through strength.

       “I emphasise that any peace negotiations must always include Ukrainians at the table.”

       The Russian President has ordered his military to rebuke a fresh Ukrainian incursion into the Russian mainland territory of Kursk which is continuing to gather momentum.

       Officials in Ukraine have admitted a new operation is under way, with Moscow saying it has met the attack with artillery and air power.

       Ukrainian forces first entered Kursk region in August, seizing a chunk of territory. Russian forces have pushed them back in some areas without managing to eject them entirely.

       Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that security guarantees leading to an end to the war would only be effective if the US under Donald Trump provided them.