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While Europe is critical towards Alexis Tsipras’ visit to Moscow tomorrow, the Kremlin attaches a particular importance to the recovery of the Greek-Russian relations.

The Greek Prime Minister will stay two days in Russia and his visit has already provoked a response on the part of Europeans who do not feel very comfortable regarding the rapprochement of the two countries.

In Moscow, however, they are preparing "gifts" for the Greek economy on occasion of Tsipras’ visit, the most certain of them being the lifting of the embargo on Greek agricultural products. The relevant procedure will start on Wednesday, after the meeting of the two leaders.

Subsequently, the Russian authorities will check 20 Greek companies and the most likely scenario, according to sources of Mega TV, is the establishment of joint Greek-Russian companies for the processing of agricultural products.
 
Moreover, it seems that the Kremlin wants to give another "gift" to the Greek economy, namely to remit the fines associated with the low gas consumption in Greece. According to sources, Vladimir Putin will intervene in the relations with Gazprom to cancel the fines imposed on Greece for the 40% reduced consumption over the past year.

Simultaneously, Moscow is exerting pressure on Greece in order for Alexis Tsipras to visit Russia again on 9 May on the occasion of the celebrations to mark the victory over Germany in World War II.

The decision of the Greek Prime Minister to meet with Russia’s President, particularly at this time, has provoked a lot of reactions in recent days. Some are openly talking about a threat to the single "front" of the European Union against Russia, including Martin Schulz, while others interpret Tsipras’ visit as turning a back on Athens’ partners and describe the decision to "embrace" Moscow as devoid of logic.

Yesterday’s article by Wolfgang Munchau in the Financial Times newspaper, in which he notes that Greece and Alexis Tsipras would not find salvation in Moscow and therefore it would be better if the two leaders talked about...weather and sports, is indicative. The author notes that the cooperation between Greece and Russia is not an easy matter, stressing that Moscow cannot provide significant funding for Athens, as the Russian economy is not in a good condition either.

The Financial Times: Europeans worry that Athens will become the Trojan horse of Moscow

European diplomats worry that something more serious than the marketing of fruit may be hiding behind the meeting, reads the Financial Times. According to a senior source, the big fear is the presence of a possible "Trojan horse" plan according to which Russia will extend billions of euro in loans to Greece in exchange for a Greek veto on the sanctions against Moscow, which is something that would split Western unity over the Ukrainian issue.

According to the newspaper, no such shock is expected this week, but as Athens is approaching the brink of bankruptcy, there is a growing concern that Tsipras’ government might turn to Moscow in desperation, which would cause more panic than the Marshall Plan in 1947 that was drawn up to save the country from the communists that Tsipras’ party praises today, notes the newspaper.

Others believe that Alexis Tsipras’ "Russian card" is nothing more than a trick in the negotiations with Germany and the euro zone. According to analysts, despite historical ties and the Soviet romanticism of SYRIZA, Greece is too tied to the West, through the European Union and NATO, and too indebted in order for Russia to be able to "buy it off" as a reliable ally.

"The Greeks are using Russia as a way to irritate Berlin, to frighten them. Tsipras wants to show he has another option," notes Theocharis Grigoriadis, a specialist in Greek-Russian relations at the Free University in Berlin. "But he has no intention of making Greece a Russian satellite. The Russians know that. The Germans know that. It is pure theatre, a Greek game, and I am afraid it looks like a poodle trying to scare a lion," adds Grigoriadis.

The Financial Times notes, just in case, that the Kremlin is careful not to feed the theory of loans. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that the provision of financial assistance for Greece was not certain and it would depend on the request of Athens.