Support The Moscow Times!

Russia's Gazprom Chief to Travel to Greece for Energy Talks With Tsipras

Gazprom chief Alexei Miller.

The head of Russian gas giant Gazprom Alexei Miller will be in Athens on Tuesday for talks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the country's energy minister, the Energy Ministry said Monday.

They are due to discuss "current energy issues of interest," the ministry said in a statement.

Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov confirmed Miller's visit but declined to comment on the agenda.

During talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow this month, Tsipras expressed interest in Greece's participation in a pipeline that would carry Russian gas to Europe via its territory.

The two sides were expected to discuss the issue of the pipeline, a government official said on condition of anonymity.

Shut out from international markets and with EU/IMF bailout aid frozen, cash-strapped Greece has said it expected to clinch a deal with Russia to take part in the "Turkish Stream" pipeline soon.

Russia was considering giving Greece advance funds for the project based on future profits it could earn from the pipeline's operation. Greece has said this would provide "a significant fiscal breath" for the country.

Greece has been locked in talks with the EU and IMF. It risks running out of money within weeks unless it submits a credible reform plan to secure fresh aid under its 240 billion euro bailouts.

Russia on Saturday denied a German media report which suggested the gas pipeline deal could add up to five billion euros to Athens' depleted state coffers.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more