BRITAIN has a moral duty to remain in the EU to help thwart Russia's military ambitions, one of Scotland's leading experts on Europe has claimed.

Sir David Edward, a former European Court judge, warned Brexit would encourage Vladimir Putin in his efforts to "reclaim" Ukraine and the Baltic states.

He said Britain's continued place in the EU was vital to maintain political and economic stability in Europe.

Sir David also defended the role of the European Court, which has been heavily criticised by Leave campaigners, insisting its ruling were not intended to undermine the sovereignty of EU states.

Addressing an event organised by the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists' Association, the lawyer and academic, 81, said the fragmentation of the EU would encourage Russian expansion.

Russia annexed Crimea, part of Ukraine, in 2014, in a move condemned by the EU and US, which imposed sanctions on Russian officials.

Sir David said: "We are now in a situation as dangerous as anytime in my lifetime since the war.

"I remember the Cuban missile crisis, I remember sitting wondering what was going to happen when Kruschev backed down.

"Of course, I lived through the war. Apart from that, I think we are in a very, very dangerous situation.

"We have Russia ruled by what can only be called an autocrat, an unpredictable autocrat with ambitions, as you’ve seen, to reclaim Ukraine.

"And, this has been said to me more than once by Russian academics - to reclaim the Baltic republics.

"There are Russian submarines in the Baltic, there are Russian planes overflying Britain.

"It isn’t safe, and in my view we have a moral obligation to the Baltic republics and to other countries which escaped from the Russian clutch.

"We have a moral obligation to maintain the situation of political and economic stability in Europe."

Sir David, who served on the European Court from 1992 to 2004, dismissed as "ludicrous" claims the institution intentionally undermined the powers of national parliaments.

He said the Court was not a vehicle for "judicial imperialism" but simply kept the 28-state alliance operating smoothly.

Underlining his own support for the EU, he said it offered a wealth of "economic and social" opportunities.

He added: "That's why I think this referendum is not about my generation, it's about the opportunities of current and future younger generations."

He defended Nicola Sturgeon's recent criticism of the Treasury's economic case, which according to the First Minister included "overblown" claims about potential job losses in the event of Brexit.

He said her comments, which were seized on by Leave supporters, were "healthy" as part of the debate and did not undermine the Remain campaign.

Sir David served on the Calman Commission, whose recommendations led to the devolution of new powers for Holyrood in the 2012 Scotland Act.

He also made an influential contribution to the independence referendum debate, arguing that an independent Scotland would be able to join the EU as a member state more easily than some No campaigners warned.

He backed the SNP's policy of minimum alcohol pricing, despite the European Court ruling it to be in breach of EU free trade laws.

He said the proposal, still before the courts, would limit the availability of cheap alcohol more effectively than tax measures, the approach recommended by the European Court.