On Thursday, leaders of the 27 European Union countries sealed a deal to allocate 50 billion euros as part of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine over the next four years.
"Another 50 billion [euros] for Ukraine (17 in donations plus 33 in loans … which will never be repaid). Do the French realize that they will have to pay 8 billion [euros] since we contribute 16% of the EU spending? Eight billion that our farmers would dream of," Mariani wrote on X on Thursday.
In recent weeks, farmers in France have been protesting by blocking highways and dumping manure and waste in front of government buildings across the country. The farmers are demanding recognition of the importance of their profession and denouncing the government's agricultural policies, which they say make them noncompetitive.
In particular, they oppose the import of agricultural products, restrictions on the use of water for irrigation, rising of diesel fuel prices, as well as restrictive measures to protect the environment and the growing financial burden.