MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. Western countries are unlikely to implement the Russia-related provisions of the grain initiative even after Moscow’s refusal to extend the deal, Oleg Barabanov, Valdai International Discussion Club program director and MGIMO University professor, told TASS.

"As for concessions, I don’t expect any significant progress because both the European Union and the United States earlier made it clear that they would not do it, and they will hardly do it now," he pointed out.

According to the expert, Western countries believe that the current situation around the grain deal restricts Russia’s activities in terms of the conflict in Ukraine, so everything "should remain as it is."

Meanwhile, in Barabanov’s words, all parties understand Russia’s demands. "Those include the need to reconnect the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT and remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports," he said.

The expert added that the economic factor might impact the future of the food agreements. "Food prices have already started to grow. In this regard, the upcoming Russia-Africa Summit is worth mentioning, where the factor will play a key role," the analyst concluded.

The grain deal came to an end on July 17. Russia refused to extend it again because the part of the deal envisaging the removal of obstacles for Russian agricultural exports had not been implemented. Apart from that, Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the bulk of grain that was meant to be supplied to the poorest counties was shipped to Western countries. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was ready to resurrect the deal but only after its part related to obligations to Moscow was fulfilled.