HIGHLIGHTS-EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss climate, budget, Brexit

European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday for a talk on climate, the EU's long-term budget, Brexit, the eurozone and Russia sanctions, among others.

Here are comments made by them on Thursday ahead of the summit. SANNA MARIN, FINLAND PM

CLIMATE "The ambitious climate goals that we have to take - the new generations are expecting us to act and we have to fulfill the expectations of the people."

"I'm worried about this climate issue. We have to do more, we have to do it faster. It's about the future of our children." "I am very much looking forward that we would find a common goal today."

BUDGET "The goal is that the multi-annual financial framework could be agreed on by February. Finland has made its own proposal and in my opinion, it's well balanced. It's in between what the Commission and the Parliament and the net payer countries have wanted. I believe it's quite close to the compromise that will be reached, hopefully as soon as in February."

CHARLES MICHEL, EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND SUMMIT CHAIRMAN CLIMATE

"Climate change is the number one priority for this afternoon's meeting. I hope we will have an agreement. Climate neutrality is a very important goal." BUDGET

"We have to discuss the level of ambition for the next European budget. We have also discussed the right balance between classical policies like cohesion and agriculture, and new policies like migration, climate, and innovation." "We have also to discuss this proposal of own resources."

BREXIT "I always show respect for the choice of the voters. We will wait and we will see what will be the outcome of this election."

XAVIER BETTEL, LUXEMBOURG PM BUDGET

"Some people want to pay less, some people want to get more, others to do new things. I wasn't the best at mathematics but this, I think, is not going to add up." ANDREJ BABIS, CZECH PM

CLIMATE "For me, it is important to have certainty that nobody will stop us in the construction of nuclear power units. Simply we have to have electricity for people, for firms, and heating. And that is the priority and I will see. I don't rule out anything."

"Nuclear energy is clean energy, without any emissions. And I don't know why a lot of countries have a problem with this." "I don't understand this approach, mainly from Austria."

"If we really want to reach carbon neutrality, we have to understand that each member states has a different energy mix." "Reaching carbon neutrality for the Czech Republic will be about 30-40 billion euros."

"How will we force China and Russia and India to reduce emissions? This is a question." STEFAN LOFVEN, SWEDISH PM

CLIMATE "It would be really bad if we didn't reach an agreement on the 2050 target."

ARTURS KARINS, LATVIA PM CLIMATE

"It is very important that we as the EU move effectively, steps for reaching climate neutrality. I hope we agree with the text." "If we want to attain this goal, it's very important that we provide the investment to attain this goal. It's very important to say 'Yes, we need these climate goals' but it's just as important to say we need those investments."

"You cannot attain these goals without investments, we need to invest in our goals." 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)