European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said that the pro-European protests in Kyiv have demonstrated the importance of the European Union as "a beacon of hope and values."

He said this at a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, which was dedicated to the review of the Lithuanian Presidency in the EU.

The European Commission's president said that one of the most important moments of the Vilnius Summit, occurred not only in Vilnius, but on the streets of Kyiv.

"It was on the streets of Kyiv that we saw Europe at its most popular: a beacon of hope and values, a guarantee of human rights and liberties. Around diplomatic tables, we have seen Europe at its best: united in defending Ukrainian citizens' dignity and opinions; ready to support their sovereign right to decide on their own destiny, and to improve their chances of a better, more prosperous and more democratic future," he said.

Barroso called the Vilnius Summit historic and said that the EU was able to make progress in its relations with its Eastern partners, especially "on the way to economic integration and political association with those that are ready for it and really willing it."

"But we have also seen how challenging the situation in Ukraine is, and why we should not give up on our commitment to those countries in our neighborhood that want to link up with the freedoms and the way of life they see in the European Union," he added.

According to Barroso, while so many people in Europe are disappointed in the EU, "to see young people – and sometimes not so young – in the freezing nights of Kyiv, waving so high the flags of the European Union, I think that confirms how important the European Union and its values are."

"Not only for us here in our member states but also for the rest of the world," the European Commission president said.