(Bloomberg) Russian President Vladimir Putin sent the new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras a congratulatory telegram after his far-left party won national elections, offering to boost cooperation between the countries.
Putin wished Tsipras success in “difficult conditions,” and said the two countries will continue to cooperate in resolving European and global issues.
Euro-area finance ministers are gathering Monday in Brussels to discuss Greece. Tsipras said in a post-election speech that his priority is “for Greece and its people to regain their lost dignity,” after his Syriza party won a mandate to confront an austerity program imposed in return for pledges of 240 billion euros ($270 billion) in aid since May 2010. […]
“It has been Russia’s consistent policy to divide and rule,” Viatcheslav Morozov, a professor of EU-Russia studies at Estonia’s Tartu University, said by phone. “In particular, to exploit various anti-systemic and counter-systemic forces, especially within the EU. In that respect, Russia will definitely try to exploit that situation.”
See the full article ("Putin Salutes Tsipras Win as He Courts Europe’s Upstart Parties") © Bloomberg
