MOSCOW, Dec. 9 - The European Union is calling on Russia to write off 20% of Ukraine's debt to the country, head of the EU Delegation to Russia Vygaudas Usackas said on Wednesday.

"We hope that Russia will demonstrate goodwill, and will support our common neighbor," Usackas said on the Vesti-FM radio station.

"Debts must be repaid, but sometimes, as is done between good friends, they should be written off, and we have agreed to write off 20% [of Ukraine's debts]. And I think it would be a goodwill gesture on Russia's part to follow [in] the same way that the EU and the U.S. have taken," he said.