European Union countries should speed up negotiations on new climate change policies, as well as increase the ambition of these proposals to phase out Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible, 11 European countries said, Reuters reported.

The statement was led by Denmark and signed by Austria, Germany, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden and Slovenia.

The EU and the European Parliament are negotiating a range of environmental measures, including upgrading the EU carbon market, a ban on new combustion engine vehicles by 2035 and higher targets to expand the use of renewable energy.

The proposals aim to reduce EU net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. But their links to energy security have come under the spotlight as the EU seeks to end dependence on Russian fuel by 2027, in part through renewables and energy savings.

Now is the time to be bold and move forward decisively with the green transition. Any delay or hesitation will only prolong our energy dependency, the 11 EU countries said in a joint statement.

Therefore, negotiations on the package should be accelerated and ambitions strengthened, they said, urging countries to support the proposals.

Danish climate minister Dan Jorgensen said the countries are calling for a green path to EU energy independence from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible.

But not all countries agree. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the EU should suspend its carbon market, the bloc's main tool for cutting emissions, in response to high energy prices. Poland has said climate talks should be stopped to assess the consequences of the war.

Brussels expects the climate proposals, if approved, to cut EU gas use by 30% by 2030. A faster expansion of renewables and energy savings could also help curb electricity bills, which have risen sharply amid high gas prices in recent months.