Former President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that the EU should "open the door" to nations such as Ukraine and benefit from the growth of greater trade and the spread of European values, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"The European Union has an historic opportunity to open the Ukrainian market and double its current EUR 40 billion a year of annual trade," he said at a conference in Istanbul.

While commenting on Ukraine's relations with the EU and Russia, Cavusoglu said: "Ukraine should be helped from both sides, not pushed by both sides."

The newspaper notes that if Kyiv fails to sign the Association Agreement with the EU at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius this November, it should be borne in mind that Russia is proposing that Ukraine join its Customs Union.

"Ukraine is torn between concluding the European Union association agreement and joining the Russian-led Customs Union... Whatever decision it takes in these conditions, it may compromise the development of this country, even possibly its unity. No country in Europe today should be placed in front of such a choice," Cavusoglu said.