Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded his two-day visit to Greece Saturday by stressing the commonalities and sympathy of the Russian and Greek peoples.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will not entertain any discussions about the status of Crimea, the Ukrainian region which Moscow annexed.
The U.S. earlier rationalized the deployment of missile defense elements in Europe by a nuclear threat from Iran, Putin said.
Putin said: “As far as Crimea is concerned, we consider this question is closed forever”.
European Union leaders are scheduled to discuss whether to renew existing sanctions on Russia’s banking, defense and energy sectors in June.
Western sanctions against Russian Federation are not productive, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Friday, weeks before the European Union is on track to renew them.
Greece is also keen to reverse a slump in tourist arrivals from Russian Federation past year.
The Russian president is accompanied by Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias.
A plan to bring Russian gas to Europe via Greece floundered when the Turkish Stream pipeline it would have connected to was shelved as relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated.
But it wasn’t the latest Greek pivot toward Russia that was the highlight of Putin’s trip: it was his latest warning that the Russian response to the most recent North Atlantic Treaty Organisation provocation in Europe will be significant.
“This can not have any other impact, because the United States have at one point unilaterally withdrawn from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, and have, in essence, begun undermining the fundamentals of global security”, Putin said.
The Russian president said Moscow would be “forced to carry out certain measures” against the European nations, at an Athens conference on Friday.
Putin arrived in Athens on a two-day visit and emerged from talks with the Greek government to lash the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies, also accusing them of stifling trade and energy cooperation with Russian Federation. “We will not take any action… until we see rockets in areas that border us”.
Tsipras noted that Putin’s visit comes just days after Athens reached a deal with eurozone bailout creditors to continue rescue loans, under a deal that expands power of a state privatization committee.
“Improving relations with Russian Federation on multiple levels is a strategic choice”, Tsipras said.
Kathimerini said a deal between Russian oil giant Rosneft and Greek refiner Hellenic Petroleum could be signed during the visit.
A broadly smiling Putin then attended a welcome ceremony at the Protaton, the oldest church of the Mount Athos administrative capital of Karyes, where he was greeted by ringing church bells.
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