Hundreds of angry farmers drove tractors into Brussels to protest in front of the European Parliament against higher taxes and rising costs. The unrest came amid a key summit in the Belgian capital on Thursday to end a standoff over additional financial aid to Ukraine.
The tractor convoy began entering the Belgian capital early in the day.
According to media reports, protesting farmers threw eggs and firecrackers at police.
Security personnel responded with water cannon.
On Wednesday night, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said in a post on X: “We must continue to work towards fair compensation for farmers’ hard work.”
He also said: “We must collectively tackle the administrative burden that too often comes from Europe.”
The farmers’ protests are against EU measures to make agriculture more sustainable and the 27-member coalition’s move to lift quotas on grain exports from Ukraine.
In addition to Belgium, farmers are also holding week-long protests in France, Italy, Germany and Poland.
More than 90 farmers were arrested Wednesday after protesting outside a Paris food market.
Also this week, major roads in the French capital were blocked by farmers’ agitation.
Thursday’s EU summit will discuss the standoff over providing around $55 billion in aid to Ukraine in December 2023 after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed the proposal.
Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine enters its second year on February 24th.
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