President Putin Invites New Greek PM Tsipras to Visit Russia

In a phone conversation, Vladimir Putin congratulated the Syriza party on election victory and Alexis Tsipras on taking office. The sides discussed routes to deliver Russian gas to Europe and the situation in Ukraine.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited the recently appointed Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to visit Russia, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

In a phone conversation, Putin congratulated the leftist Syriza party on election victory and Tsipras on taking office.

“The conversation was very warm and constructive. Our president invited Alexis Tsipras to visit Russia,” the Kremlin aide said, adding that among other things the sides discussed routes to deliver Russian gas to Europe and the situation in Ukraine.

Telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras http://t.co/CmNLmLsNhL

— President of Russia (@KremlinRussia_E) 5 февраля 2015

In January, the left-wing Syriza party won the Greek parliamentary elections. Syriza reached an agreement with the right-wing Independent Greeks to form a parliamentary majority.

Tsipras, Syriza leader, has pledged to revise austerity measures aimed at meeting the terms of the country’s bailout. The conditions were set by international creditors in exchange for multibillion dollar loans, issued to help Greece recover from its deep economic crisis.