Ex-EU boss slammed after claiming Brexit helped Russian invasion of Ukraine

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Brexit Coordinator for the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt arrives for an European Union Summit at European Union Headquarters in Brussels on October 17, 2019. (Photo by ARIS OIKONOMOU / AFP) (Photo by ARIS OIKONOMOU/AFP via Getty Images)

AN ex-EU chief has been slammed for claiming Russia may not have invaded Ukraine if Britain had stayed in the bloc.

Downing Street said tonight that Guy Verhofstadt’s comments were “nonsense”.

No10 has slammed Guy Verhofstadt’s claim that Putin may not have invaded Ukraine if Britain didn’t leave the EU

The former European Parliament Brexit boss also dubbed Brexit as the “wrong choice”.

Speaking to LBC, the smug European boss said: “A united Europe, certainly on defence matters, would make an enormous difference.

“I think maybe that without Brexit, maybe there was no invasion. I don’t know.

“Let’s hope Britain can rejoin.”

But earlier today, on the third anniversary of our exit, No10 said: “Putin’s illegal invasion has nothing to do with Brexit.

“In fact, the invasion has demonstrated the UK’s commitment to European security.

We have from the start been working extremely closely with our European allies, which is a real tangible demonstration of the UK’s continued commitment to the security of the continent.

“That will not change and it’s nonsense to suggest otherwise.”

It came as ex-PM Boris Johnson called for the UK to “shrug off all this negativity and gloom-mongering” around our exit.

Bojo, who led us out of the EU promised the “opportunities are huge” and said Britain’s stonking vaccine rollout “proves it”.

He said: “On Brexit Day, as we look back at that vaccine rollout, let’s also look forward to all the other ways in which we can change our country and our economy for the better.”