Tsipras to visit Moscow for talks with Putin in second half of 2018

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will be visiting Moscow sometime between June and December, for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin issued the invitation in a March 22 telephone conversation with Tsipras, who called to congratulate the Russian president upon his re-election.

“Both sides reaffirmed their intention to further promote Russian-Greek cooperation. They also noted with satisfaction the increasing cooperation in the trade, economic and humanitarian areas,” the Kremlin said in a press release the same day.

“Current issues of European security and the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean region were discussed.The two leaders also discussed the situation following the UK’s allegations against Russia after the incident in Salisbury. Vladimir Putin invited Alexis Tsipras to visit Russia,” the press release concluded.

Greece is among the EU countries which did not expel Russian diplomats over the Skripal affair.

The top issues on the agenda for the Tsipras-Putin talks will be Greece-Turkey relations and developments in the eastern Mediterranean, Ankara’s purchase of S-400 missiles (which has triggered a strong reaction from Washington and grave concerns in Athens), EU-Russia relations, developments in the war in Syria, and, naturally, whatever issues of common interest may arise until then.

Andrey Maslov, Russia’s Ambassador to Athens, stated that a Greek-Turkish armed conflict is inconceivable.

Maslov also maintained that the S-400 missiles, which Turkey intends to purchase, will not constitute a threat to Greece.

Ο ρώσος πρέσβης στην Αθήνα Αντρέι Μασλόβ δήλωσε σχετικά με τα ζητήματα αυτά ότι οι δεν μπορεί να διανοηθεί ελληνοτουρκική ένοπλη σύγκρουση, καθώς και ότι οι S400 δεν αποτελούν απειλή για την Ελλάδα.