Russia has a chance to become part of the common international efforts to give a helping hand to Ukraine, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has said.

"Ukraine needs Russia, and Russia needs Ukraine. Russia has a chance to become part of the efforts to bring stability and prosperity back to Ukraine, including being part of the coordinated international efforts to help Ukraine address its economic challenges," he said during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday when talking on Ukraine.

Fule said that "this will require from Russia recognition of the sovereign right of the Ukrainian people to make their own choices about their future, either about domestic politics just as much as they are about foreign policy."

"Russia can only gain from Ukraine's success, and it risks losing heavily if Ukraine fails. We are ready to work very closely with Russia, the neighbour of our neighbour, to ensure it plays a constructive role in Ukraine's future – the future of a neighbour with whom Russia has traditional ties which we support," the European commissioner stressed.