The official visit of the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras to Russia provoked much attention among Western media. Both countries are now experiencing difficulties in their relations with the main European powers. Russia's relations with Europe are severely strained because of the Ukrainian crisis and international sanctions. Greece is now in the process of difficult negotiations with European leaders over the country's financial problems. Potential cooperation between Russia and Greece can thus change the course of politics on the European continent.
“The goal of my visit is to try to jointly make a new start, to give a new beginning to our relations for the benefit of both our peoples and for stability and security in the broad sense in this region,” Alexis Tsipras said, quoted by the New York Times. Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, in an interview with the German newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, warned Alexis Tsipras against alienating from the European Union and concluding unilateral agreements with Russia.
The Greek prime minister voiced his disagreement with the European Union's position on Russia and with sanctions imposed on it. The New York Times connects it to Greece's search for new partners in the difficult financial situation: "Within Greece and among the nation’s European partners, the meeting between Mr. Tsipras and Mr. Putin has been viewed as an effort by the new Greek leader to seek allies as the country runs out of cash amid a deadlock with creditors over a desperately needed bailout worth 240 billion euros, or about $260 billion."
Alexis Tsipras emphasized that Greece is an independent political entity. "It is a sovereign country that partners and creditors cannot play with. You will see that, and the partners and creditors will see that," said Tsipras, quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Greece is also said to be seeking a discount on Russian gas, perhaps as part of a deal with Gazprom. "That deal could include construction of a pipeline through Greece as part of an effort by Russia to build a pipeline through Turkey that would help end its reliance on Ukraine for transporting gas to customers in Europe," writes the New York Times.
A BBC News analyst Kevin Connolly claims, however, that the prospects of such cooperation are quite doubtful: "In theory a deal could be constructed where Greece could threaten to veto those EU sanctions in return for serious and sustained economic help, but in truth neither side is probably in a position to make such a deal even if it wanted to. Russia has too many economic problems of its own to rescue Greece even if it were minded to. The Greek authorities are not in a position to alienate the rest of the EU by undermining a shared position on Ukraine."
World press on the visit of the Greek prime minister to Russia (April 8, 2015)
The official visit of the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras to Russia provoked much attention among Western media. Both countries are now experiencing difficulties in their relations with the main European powers. Russia's relations with Europe are severely strained because of the Ukrainian crisis and international sanctions. Greece is now in the process of difficult negotiations with European leaders over the country's financial problems. Potential cooperation between Russia and Greece can thus change the course of politics on the European continent.
“The goal of my visit is to try to jointly make a new start, to give a new beginning to our relations for the benefit of both our peoples and for stability and security in the broad sense in this region,” Alexis Tsipras said, quoted by the New York Times. Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, in an interview with the German newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, warned Alexis Tsipras against alienating from the European Union and concluding unilateral agreements with Russia.
The Greek prime minister voiced his disagreement with the European Union's position on Russia and with sanctions imposed on it. The New York Times connects it to Greece's search for new partners in the difficult financial situation: "Within Greece and among the nation’s European partners, the meeting between Mr. Tsipras and Mr. Putin has been viewed as an effort by the new Greek leader to seek allies as the country runs out of cash amid a deadlock with creditors over a desperately needed bailout worth 240 billion euros, or about $260 billion."
Alexis Tsipras emphasized that Greece is an independent political entity. "It is a sovereign country that partners and creditors cannot play with. You will see that, and the partners and creditors will see that," said Tsipras, quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Greece is also said to be seeking a discount on Russian gas, perhaps as part of a deal with Gazprom. "That deal could include construction of a pipeline through Greece as part of an effort by Russia to build a pipeline through Turkey that would help end its reliance on Ukraine for transporting gas to customers in Europe," writes the New York Times.
A BBC News analyst Kevin Connolly claims, however, that the prospects of such cooperation are quite doubtful: "In theory a deal could be constructed where Greece could threaten to veto those EU sanctions in return for serious and sustained economic help, but in truth neither side is probably in a position to make such a deal even if it wanted to. Russia has too many economic problems of its own to rescue Greece even if it were minded to. The Greek authorities are not in a position to alienate the rest of the EU by undermining a shared position on Ukraine."World press on the visit of the Greek prime minister to Russia (April 8, 2015)
The official visit of the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras to Russia provoked much attention among Western media. Both countries are now experiencing difficulties in their relations with the main European powers. Russia's relations with Europe are severely strained because of the Ukrainian crisis and international sanctions. Greece is now in the process of difficult negotiations with European leaders over the country's financial problems. Potential cooperation between Russia and Greece can thus change the course of politics on the European continent.
“The goal of my visit is to try to jointly make a new start, to give a new beginning to our relations for the benefit of both our peoples and for stability and security in the broad sense in this region,” Alexis Tsipras said, quoted by the New York Times. Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament, in an interview with the German newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, warned Alexis Tsipras against alienating from the European Union and concluding unilateral agreements with Russia.
The Greek prime minister voiced his disagreement with the European Union's position on Russia and with sanctions imposed on it. The New York Times connects it to Greece's search for new partners in the difficult financial situation: "Within Greece and among the nation’s European partners, the meeting between Mr. Tsipras and Mr. Putin has been viewed as an effort by the new Greek leader to seek allies as the country runs out of cash amid a deadlock with creditors over a desperately needed bailout worth 240 billion euros, or about $260 billion."
Alexis Tsipras emphasized that Greece is an independent political entity. "It is a sovereign country that partners and creditors cannot play with. You will see that, and the partners and creditors will see that," said Tsipras, quoted by Deutsche Welle.
Greece is also said to be seeking a discount on Russian gas, perhaps as part of a deal with Gazprom. "That deal could include construction of a pipeline through Greece as part of an effort by Russia to build a pipeline through Turkey that would help end its reliance on Ukraine for transporting gas to customers in Europe," writes the New York Times.
A BBC News analyst Kevin Connolly claims, however, that the prospects of such cooperation are quite doubtful: "In theory a deal could be constructed where Greece could threaten to veto those EU sanctions in return for serious and sustained economic help, but in truth neither side is probably in a position to make such a deal even if it wanted to. Russia has too many economic problems of its own to rescue Greece even if it were minded to. The Greek authorities are not in a position to alienate the rest of the EU by undermining a shared position on Ukraine."
