Support The Moscow Times!

Foreign Minister Lavrov Denies Greece Asked Russia for Financial Help – Report

Anti-EU protesters hang a banner from Lycabettus hill in Athens, Greece. The banner reads in Greek and English: "No to austerity, no to fear."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said late last week that Greece had not asked Russia for financial help, the RIA news agency reported.

Greece held a bailout referendum on Sunday to decide whether to take an offer from international creditors of more austerity measures in return for more loans. The result of the referendum was still unknown as of print time in Moscow on Sunday.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has sought closer ties with Russia since taking office earlier this year, but the Kremlin has repeatedly played down suggestions Russia might bail out Greece.

Russia earlier said financial aid to Athens was not discussed when Tsipras visited St. Petersburg in June for talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Lavrov has previously expressed hope that Brussels would not implement "negative scenarios" and that Greece would overcome its current problems.

Russia has relatively little exposure to Greek banks and government debt, but a Greek exit from the euro zone would limit risk appetite worldwide, possibly hitting Russian assets which are already seen as risky.

(MT, Reuters)

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis 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