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Greek PM invited to visit Moscow

Xinhua, February 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Newly elected Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was invited to visit Moscow by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone communication on Thursday, according to Greek national news agency AMNA.

Putin called the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA party leader to congratulate him on his victory in the recent Jan. 25 general elections in Greece.

Tsipras accepted the invitation to attend the celebrations marking the Victory Day against Nazism on May 9, according to government sources.

The two leaders also discussed developments in the Ukrainian crisis and energy issues, the Kremlin announced.

The telephone conversation between Tsipras and Putin came as Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, the leader of the Right-wing Independent Greeks party which participates in the two-partite ruling coalition, was issuing a stern statement in response to his German counterpart's comments over Greece's ties with Russia and the future of its membership in NATO.

The new government's rapprochement with Moscow over the past two weeks has hit nerves within the European Union.

Just two days after the elections the Greek government criticized European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for issuing an announcement in the name of "EU heads of state and governments" warning Russia with more sanctions for "supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine."

Athens said that the announcement was made "without having the consent of Greece."

Over the next few days, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos received invitations by their counterparts to visit the Russian capital.

German Defense Minister Ursula von Der Leyen said on Wednesday that Greece was putting at risk its position in the NATO alliance with its approach to Russia.

"Statements that replace the EU and NATO's institutional bodies are unacceptable as blackmailing," Kammenos said on Thursday.

"They undermine the European institutions except if Germany's aim is to dissolve the European Union and the NATO," added the Greek official's statement. Endit