The Russian embassy in Washington announced that "the United States prefers silence on the protective restrictions imposed by its European allies on agricultural products from Ukraine." It stated in a message that "fearing competition with cheap grains from Ukraine, the American satellites in Europe considered imposing protective barriers against agricultural products from the republic they sponsor, and for some reason, the administration prefers to remain silent on this matter." The embassy pointed out that "the West, rooted in the spirit of new colonial customs, only cares about its own welfare and fears competition with cheap grains from Ukraine."