Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has suggested Boris Johnson was insensitive to compare Ukraine’s fight against Russia to Brexit.

       Speaking to ITV News, the former leader asked the prime minister to “please” not suggest similarities between the war and the vote.

       Mr Poroshenko asked: “How many Britons died because of Brexit?

       “Zero.”

       “Only today we have 150 Ukrainian children who were killed by Russian soldiers and Russian artillery,” he said.

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       “Can I ask you how many houses were destroyed because of Brexit? We have whole cities that have been completely destroyed,” he said, adding: “With this situation, please, no comparison.”

       Mr Johnson sparked controversy on Saturday when he drew a direct comparison between the war in Ukraine and Brexit in a speech to the Conservative Spring conference.

       He told Tory party members in Blackpool: “It’s the instinct of the people of this country, like the people of Ukraine, to choose freedom, every time.

       “When the British people voted for Brexit in such large, large numbers, I don’t believe it was because they were remotely hostile to foreigners – it’s because they wanted to be free to do things differently and for this country to be able to run itself.”

       Petro Poroshenko was president of Ukraine between 2014 and 2019

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       The prime minister has refused to withdraw the incendiary claim despite criticism and insisted Ukraine was not offended.

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       Mr Johnson was reported to be regretting making the comparison after it was branded “insulting” to the Ukrainian people and “insane”.

       But his spokesman made clear he was not having “second thoughts”, arguing it is legitimate to categorise both struggles as a “desire for freedom”.