Tsipras's Visit to Moscow: the Red Line Was Not Crossed

• 04.09.2015, 16:19
•  Europe,  "Insight" Analytical Center ,  World

Greek prime-minister's visit to Russia has created really a rare situation. It may also be called an  unprecedented one. Tsipras did not listen to the the warning of the European Parliament’s president Martin Schulz to hold the EU line of sanctions towards Russia when visiting Moscow, but he also did not cross the red line.

Both Tsipras's and Putin's expectations from this visit were different, but they look the same direction: undermining the EU unity. As Tsipras is seeking alternative ways to save or raise money, Putin looks for an ally to undermine the EU’s position.

During his visit to Moscow the Greek PM declared that "Greece is a sovereign country with inalienable rights" and that Greece is against sanctions of West and the so-called "economic war" and called "a new spring in ties between the two countries." This can be called rare, also unprecedented, and surely not something that was expected. In his interviews before the visit and during the meeting with Putin Tsipras said he is against sanctions. Those are to be renewed by a unanimous vote of the 28 member states in July. However,  in the current situation this vote cannot be achieved as the problem is not only about Greece, but Cyprus, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, who also take the risk of negotiating with Putin and call the sanctions "senseless" or "useless".

The visit of Greek PM is mainly demonstrative and carries out formal results, such as an action plan of cooperation between the two countries for 2015-16, a Memorandum to celebrate Greece and Russia Year 2016 and a Joint Declaration on the 70th Anniversary of Victory of Anti-Fascist War.

On the other hand, Tsipras did not ask for financial aid, as Putin confirmed after the meeting. At the same time nothing is said about lifting Russian ban on Greek agricultural products. Thus this visit and further cooperation is just a card for Tsipras to be played against the EU. He does not take the risk of grave dependence but signs up for projects that will surely be a "crossing the line set by the EU" but is threatening to do so.  This steps are supposed to force the EU to make some concessions in the future. Tsipras surely does not want to ruin relations with the EU or to undermine Eurozone negotiations, but just tries to seem radical.

Another important point of the visit that one should pay attention is the cooperation in energy sphere. Putin has plans for Greece to join the Turkish Stream and Tsipras doesn't mind. A day before country's Foreign Minister added his name in the declaration thus stating his country’s will to join the stream, together with his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest. This step is another blow to the EU’s joint energy policy but is not conformed yet, thus being a matter of time and agreement with Brussels.

It should also be mentioned that in case of Greece we see support of the citizens, something that is not present in the cases of Hungary and the Czech Republic, which are also trying to warm-up relations with Russia and are against further sanctions. The choice of Greece is more radical, as the country is more "desperate", if we can say so and it is something that went so deep, it reached every single citizen, that is why they are now fully supporting any radical actions from the government. Let us not forget that after Syriza came to power, there were huge pro-governmental demonstrations, who supported their government, which is also something rarely witnessed.