Ukraine and the CIS countries should move together to deepen cooperation with the European Union, Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Sergei Lebedev has said.

"Why do we have to move towards the EU separately? After all, we still are moving towards the deepening of cooperation with the EU, and, first and foremost, it would be much easier for us to do it together, and secondly, our position would be much stronger," he said at an international business conference "ABC: Ukraine & Partners" in Kyiv on Friday.

Lebedev said that the two processes of deepening Ukraine's relations with the CIS countries and its European aspirations cannot be opposed.

"It is the right of Ukraine to make a choice. But we should in no way oppose these two movements. It’s necessary to find the optimal variant of rapprochement and deepening of Ukraine’s cooperation with the EU, and at the same time it’s necessary to maintain close and deep traditional relations of Ukraine with its partners - the CIS countries. This is vital for Ukraine and other CIS countries," he added.