David Cameron declared he was "battling for Britain" as he arrived for crunch talks on his European Union reforms.
The Prime Minister arrived at the Brussels summit, billed as a "make-or-break" moment for the UK's renegotiation agenda, insisting he would not accept a deal that did not meet his demands.
If a deal is agreed at the meeting of EU leaders, it could pave the way for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU as early as June, but Mr Cameron insisted he was not in a rush to secure an agreement at any cost.
David Cameron remained optimistic about the key EU summit following a phone call with European Council president Donald Tusk
He said: "We have got some important work to do today and tomorrow and it's going to be hard. I will be battling for Britain; if we can get a good deal I will take that deal but I will not take a deal that does not meet what we need.
"I think it is much more important to get this right than to do anything in a rush.
"But with goodwill, with hard work, we can get a better deal for Britain."
In an indication of the high-stakes nature of the meeting, European Council president Donald Tusk said "this is a make-or-break summit, I have no doubt" as he arrived.
His comments came after the senior Brussels official insisted he is "confident" a deal will be reached on the Prime Minister's demands for change.
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he was "convinced" the UK would remain a "constructive and active" member of the 28-nation bloc.
Key elements of the Prime Minister's demands for change in Britain's relations with the EU are still in dispute and will be thrashed out at the meeting.
Mr Juncker said: "I'm quite confident that we will have a deal during this European Council."
But he acknowledged there were a "certain number" of issues in the reform proposals that were yet to be resolved.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he expected Mr Cameron to come back with a deal from Brussels, as the other leaders would recognise how "embarrassing" it would be for him to return empty-handed.
But Mr Farage told the Press Association: "He hasn't asked for us to get back supremacy for our Parliament, he hasn't asked for us to control our own borders, he hasn't asked to reduce the vast daily fees we pay.
"We will be allowed - after he has come here like Oliver Twist and begged for concessions - to control migrant benefits for up to four years. I find the whole thing as a British person pretty shameful.
"And the worst bit is that whatever he comes back with and tries to sell to the British people is not legally binding. It can be struck down by the European Parliament and ultimately all of it can be ruled out of order by the European Court of Justice.
"It's rather like him saying to the British people, 'I'd like you to buy this car, but you can't see whether the engine works first'. It just doesn't work."
European Parliament president Martin Schulz, who will join leaders at the table on Friday, insisted MEPs will work "constructively" to pass the legislation necessary to put any deal into effect.
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