Later today, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras will meet the Russian leadership at the Kremlin. A joint press conference with President Vladimir Putin will follow.
This “warming-up” of Greek-Russian relations takes place at a time when both countries are living extraordinary days.
The Greeks are in the final stage of a six-year long financial and social crisis, just before the collapse. Greek leaders have finally become aware that their story has come to an end and that death is imminent. This awareness of the approaching end drives them to asymmetrical behavior.
The Russians are in a most difficult situation. With low energy prices, the Ukraine front and the Western embargo, the Russians are ready to play their cards high.
For the Russians, Greece represents an excellent opportunity with short, medium and long-term potential benefits.
Europeans and Americans are worried and annoyed by the Greek initiative which is against the Atlantic Alliance ethics and contrary to the EU policies towards Russia which is concentrated around the unanimous embargo.
Indeed if, say just if, if the Greek-Russian romance becomes a love affair then it might have unforeseen effects in the consistency of the European structure, because Greece is about to die and Russia has been cornered.
I remember when my father, aged 94 was dying at the Intensive Care Unit in the Corfu hospital, while he was fading out he was smoking one cigarette after the other and indeed, he died with a cigarette in his mouth. As in his early days he served in post-war hard times as Director of the same hospital and because of his fairness and sense of justice, he was a legend for that little institution, nobody dared to tell him not to smoke in the ICU.
Only a young doctor came to me and said, “….please, explain your father that sanitary rules and the law prohibit smoking in hospitals.” A nurse, standing-by replied to the young doctor, “The man is dying, and no matter what rules are and the law says, he does care, can’t you realize doctor that when somebody is about to die he does not give a damn for rules, laws and prohibitions?”
First things, first: The Greek government has voted for the unanimous embargo against Russia. Yet it was not this government that voted for it but the previous one. The embargo is a simple Council decision. It is not a Treaty. Thus it is rather easy to be upset, as it is a purely political issue.
Greece is desperate for cash to pay its foreign and domestic obligations and avoid economic and social collapse. According to Greece’s obligations, it cannot borrow money from anybody except the EU and the IMF. This means that no matter what, Greece cannot get assistance or loans from Russia.
However, what Greece could do in order to get money from Russia is something else. Sell to Russia. This is not disallowed.
Thus Greece can sell to Russia receivables from Germany, the WWII reparations estimated to €287.7 billion in a global deal which will provide that for this amount, Russia will undertake the obligation to pay directly Greece’s debts.
Needless to say that such a strategic move in the short-medium term, would affect not only EU balances but also the eastern Mediterranean theater. The more so that Turkey is recently approaching Russia to much disappointment of the Alliance which is rapidly building bridges with Iran, to much regret of Israel.
Earlier today, German vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, addressing the Greeks said that the Greek claims for that amount (i.e. €287.7 billion) are “stupid.” It is highly questionable that the good vice-Chancellor would repeat the same argument to the Kremlin, a few hours later, if the “if” happens. Indeed, Russia was one of the four winners of WWII and Russia is the major energy supplier to the German industry.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/getting-greece-ultra-limits