Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has denied his government is rubbing its hands with glee at Britain’s turmoil over the terms of Brexit.

Lavrov said Russia actually prefers a united European Union to a news conference earlier today.

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“We won’t and aren’t saying anything about Brexit, though people are constantly saying and writing that Russia is rubbing its hands together and gloating. Nothing of the kind,” he told reporters.

“We always said – long before the idea of Brexit took shape – that it is in our interests to have a united, strong, and most importantly independent European Union,” he said.

He added Russia would be “ready to cooperate” with the EU and the UK on Brexit.

Moscow has repeatedly denied claims Russia meddled in the 2016 EU referendum in an attempt to break up the bloc.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month Theresa may had no choice but to go ahead with Brexit and avoid a second referendum, lest she undermine faith in Britain’s democratic system.

Theresa May last night suffered a resounding defeat on her proposed Brexit deal in parliament last night, plunging negotiations with the EU into uncertainty ahead of the 29 March leaving date.