Greek PM discusses bilateral issues with Russian president on phone

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss bilateral issues and his upcoming visit to Russia later this month, his office said.

The communication came amidst an impasse in negotiations with international creditors over a reform for cash debt deal to avert a Greek bankruptcy that has skyrocketed concern over a looming credit event, as Athens did not repay a loan installment to International Monetary Fund due on Friday.

Greek government sources said that the two leaders discussed "in a very positive climate" the prospects of bilateral collaboration in the sectors of energy and trade, the participation of Tsipras in the Saint Petersburg economic forum on June 18, as well as Greece's potential participation in the BRICS Development Bank.

As European counterparts and IMF have added pressure in recent months to Athens for tough austerity and reform measures in exchange of further aid to stay afloat and in the euro zone, the leftist government has played the card of the "alternative solutions" pointing to Russia and other countries.

During a visit to Moscow in April Tsipras and Putin discussed the extension of the so-called Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline that will transfer gas from the Black Sea to Greece after Turkey.

In early May Athens received an invitation from Moscow to join the new growth bank that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the so-called "BRICS") are developing. Endit