HIGHLIGHTS-EU leaders meet to give Britain second Brexit delay under conditions

European Union leaders meet in Brussels on Wednesday to grant Britain a second Brexit delay, with France pushing the hardest demands on London among the 27 states staying on together in the bloc.

Below please find comments by the EU leaders ahead of their summit in Brussels: UK PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY

"I know many people will be frustrated that the summit is taking place at all because the UK should have left the European Union by now." "I greatly regret the fact that parliament has not been able to pass a deal that would enable us to leave in a smooth and orderly way, but I and the government continue to work to find a way forward."

"We have been talking with the opposition. There have been serious, constructive talks. They will continue tomorrow." "The purpose of this summit is to agree an extension which gives us more time to agree a deal to leave the EU in that smooth and orderly way.

"I've asked for an extension to June 30, but what is more important is that the extension enables us to leave at the point at which we ratify the withdrawal agreement so we could leave on May 22 and start to build our brighter future." "I've been clear that the UK request is for an extension to June 30. I have been working to make sure that we can leave the European Union. Indeed we could have left the European Union by now, but parliament didn't pass the withdrawal agreement."

"We need that extra time to work to ensure that we can get a deal through parliament that enables us to leave in a smooth and orderly way. That's in everybody's interest." "What matters is that we are able to leave the European Union at the point at which we ratify that withdrawal agreement. That would enable us to leave on May 22."

"I'm working to ensure that we can leave the European Union within the time scale that the government wants to see. I want us to be able to leave the European Union in an smooth and orderly way as soon as possible and that's what I'm going to be working for." CZECH PM ANDREJ BABIS

"We need a longer extension. I would say the proposal by Donald Tusk is ideal until next March 2020. Then Great Britain has more time to find a solution. Until June is very short... An extension until the end of the year or until next March is ideal." ESTONIA PM JURI RATAS

"We must do all what we can to avoid no-deal and to have Brexit with agreement." SWEDISH PM STEFAN LOFVEN

"We need to make sure that the legitimacy and the integrity of the EU institutions are not hurt. The longer the extension, the more risk." "We need to look into that very closely."

"We need to look into both possibilities." "It is very important now that PM May explains what is happening in the UK now."

"An orderly exit is the best for everybody." "There is frustration - in the UK as well as in the EU. We have spent a lot of time and a lot of energy on this issue and we have so many important issues to get on with."

LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT DALIA GRYBAUSKAITE "I am confident that we will supportive to the request of the prime minister. But it's highly probably that it will be a longer extension than Theresa May wrote in her letter."

DUTCH PM MARK RUTTE "It is very well possible that we will decide to prevent a no deal Brexit tonight."

"We will have several important discussions, on how long will an extension be and what conditions will be attached to it. ... There are differing opinions about that." "We need to make sure that the EU can function, that all member states cooperate loyally."

BELGIAN PM CHARLES MICHEL "It is not certain there will be a delay."

"It is not certain what that would mean." DANISH PM LARS LOKKE RASMUSSEN

"We have to do what we need to get an orderly Brexit." (Compiled by Reuters Bureau)