Highlights of European Union leaders meet on Brexit

European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss Brexit after London walked away last week from a deal the EU has offered over disagreements on how to keep an open Irish border.

Below please find comments by EU leaders upon arriving at the summit.

MARK RUTTE, DUTCH PRIME MINISTER

"I do think a lot of progress has been made."

"The debate is now concentrating on this issue of the Irish border and how to prevent a border on the Irish sea, which is something the UK desperately wants to avoid."

"At the same time, we all want to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland."

"I don't think we will solve this issue completely but I am cautiously optimistic that over coming weeks Michel Barnier and the negotiating team in the UK will come to final conclusions."

PETER PELLEGRINI, PRIME MINISTER OF SLOVAKIA

"I'm a very optimistic person but not today."

"I think we will receive ... information that there is still no deal and I think we should do the maximum until the last day to try to have an agreement."

"But on the other side the other 27 countries, we should be prepared also for a no-deal result. And I think maybe it will finish like that."

"My hope was that today we'll have already some concrete solution on the table, but it looks like it will not be a deal today."

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

"What we've seen is that we've solved most of the issues in the withdrawal agreement. There is still the question of the Northern Irish backstop ... By working intensively and closely, we can achieve that deal. As I say a deal is in the interests not just of the UK but also the European Union."

"Now is the time to make it happen."

DALIA GRYBAUSKAITE, PRESIDENT OF LITHUANIA

"Today there will be no breakthrough."

"We realise that the technical agreement of last week was not accepted in London."

"It will be November and maybe even more summits because we are not yet in the final stage (of negotiations)."

XAVIER BETTEL, PRIME MINISTER OF LUXEMBOURG

"We just need to finalise something because the 29th of March will be the last day of the UK in our family. So we need to find an agreement. And we still need to work also on no-deal."

"I am able to come back as often as we need to come if it's to find a solution. But I don't want just to come to have a cup of coffee ... We all have to move together."

"We fully understand that Prime Minister May has a difficult situation in the UK ... We have to move on both sides."

"There is still hope (for a Brexit agreement). But there is also the possibility of a no-deal. We'll continue to work on a no-deal too. Even if we have an agreement here it doesn't mean that Westminster agrees."

"We won't block a longer transition if it's to find a common solution."

"A divorce is not always good... But the fact is we need to find an agreement."

"We have a common market and we can't change rules for the UK."

"I won't be the one who will block a discussion about having maybe a year more for the backstop."

Q: How seriously do you take the prospect of a no deal?

A: "Very seriously."

"We can't wait for long to have a solution. We need to hurry up, they leave in six months."

JURI RATAS, PRIME MINISTER OF ESTONIA

"I regret that we don't have an agreement yet between the UK and the EU. But I still believe that this agreement is possible and our goal is to find the solution and to find the way. I think it's possible."

"It's very important to keep the 27 close. We are united, we are acting as a team and we understand very well that the main question is the border question between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

"The UK was and is a close and important partner for us." 

(With inputs from agencies.)