Jacob Rees Mogg said Brexit would allow Britain to demonstrate “global leadership”, making it “impossible” for Putin to be successful.

Former Tory Cabinet Minister, 53, made this argument when asked by Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme what the main benefits were of leaving the EU.

Mr Rees Mogg said that the leadership displayed by Boris Johnson – which he did because he wasn’t bound by sincere co-operation – ensured a coalition which prevented [Russian president Vladimir] Putin from succeeding.

“We showed global leadership in the Ukraine issue.” Putin probably would have invaded Ukraine if the UK was bound by the requirement of genuine cooperation and had to follow the Franco-German approach in dealing with Russia as we did in 2014.”

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He repeated comments made by Mr Johnson, the former Prime Minister, in Washington DC, in February.

Mr Johnson said that leaving the European Union allowed Britain to “do different things” while providing arms to Kyiv.

He said: “I honestly believe that Brexit was a major factor in our ability to make a decision, and have a different approach from the old EU, which, by the by, was all governed by fabled Normandy Format that was agreed upon in Normandy, in 2014.”

“For reasons I do not know, the British government decided that they did want to be involved. France and Germany were the EU’s leaders.

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“If we had stuck to that, I do not believe we would’ve delivered the NLaws (anti-tank arms) and I think we might have taken a different approach.

“I believe that Brexit has allowed us to do things in a different way, and I hope it’s been helpful to Ukraine,” Johnson said.

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Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK has provided PS4.6bn (second only to the US) in military assistance and is training thousands soldiers from the country.

This week, the government announced that it would be sending long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.

The EU also provides non-lethal weapons and lethal weapons, marking the first time that the bloc has ever provided such arms to a third nation.

Many European countries have also donated military equipment, such as Leopard tanks.