Tsipras talks to Putin while US urges Greece to cooperate with its partners, IMF
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, it emerged on Thursday.
According to a statement released by the Russian government, a telephone conversation took place on Thursday afternoon. The Russian leader congratulated the Greek premier on his recent election and invited him to visit Moscow. Tsipras accepted the invitation.
According to Russian officials, the two leaders also discussed the Ukraine issue as well as energy issues such as the South Stream and the Turkish Stream.
Meanwhile, the United States has urged Greece to work closely with its European partners and the International Monetary Fund, a senior American official said late on Wednesday.
“We do believe that in the case of Greece it is very important for the Greek government to work cooperatively with its European colleagues, as well as with the IMF. And we have advised it to do so, and we are hopeful that these conversations are now moving to a place with some cooperation and mutual understanding.” noted the official during a conference call regarding US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Belgium and Germany which begins on Thursday.
The comments followed President Obama’s recent remarks with regard to austerity in Greece, in which he argued that countries could not go on being “squeezed.”
While in Europe, Biden is expected to hold a joint meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the ongoing conflict pitting Russia against Ukraine.
