Maxime Prévot, one of Belgium’s deputy leaders and foreign minister, announced he was withdrawing a proposal to evacuate the students. He said it had been “completely rejected” by one coalition partner – understood to be the New Flemish Alliance party – “unless we were prepared to make concessions on returns to Afghanistan and return hubs”.

“Faced with this attempt to hold one issue hostage to another at the expense of people already living in misery I chose to withdraw my proposal. Dignity is not for sale.”