Greece Has 'Plan B' if EU Does Not Offer New Debt Deal - Defense Minister

Greece's new Defense Minister told Greek television that his country could seek borrowing opportunities elsewhere if the country's creditors are unwilling to bend.

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said that his country would "get funding from another source" if the debt-burdened nation fails to hammer out a deal with Germany and its Eurozone partners.

"What we want is a deal. But if there is no deal and if we see that Germany remains unbending and wants to blow Europe apart, then we have the obligation to go to Plan B. Plan B is to get funding from another source," Kammenos told Greek television channel Mega late Monday night, according to Reuters.

The minister noted that Greece could seek funds from "the United States at best, it could be Russia, it could be China or other countries."

Greece is looking for a revised debt agreement with the Eurozone to allow it to end the crushing austerity measures which have left the country's economy in tatters and much of its citizenry impoverished. This includes hopes that some of the debt is written off, that mandated cuts to social services are reversed and that the country will no longer have to privatize state property. Eurozone powerbroker Germany has thus far shown no interest in easing Greece's debt situation, possibly out of fear that other countries in trouble might ask for the same.

Kammenos is a minister from the political party Independent Greeks, a coalition partner in the government of Alexis Tsipras' Syriza. The new government came to power on a promise to oppose austerity in elections held last month.

Late last month, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov hinted that he would not rule out considering a loan agreement to Greece should the country appeal to Russia for assistance. Last week, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis told German media that he did not consider asking Russia for financial aid.

Russia has shown interest in infrastructure projects in the country, including ports, coal prospecting and geothermal power stations.