London: Greece’s Defence Minister has warned that his country will seek money from Russia and China to avert a financial crisis rather than yield to austerity demands from Europe, risking a dangerous political rift with the leading European Union powers.
Panos Kammenos, head of the Independent Greeks party in the ruling coalition, said Greece would rather leave the euro if membership means submitting to a “Europe under German domination.”
“We want a deal. But if there is no deal, and if we see that Germany remains rigid and wants to blow Europe apart, then we will have to go to Plan B,” he told Greek television. “We have other ways of finding money. It could be the United States at best, it could be Russia, it could be China or other countries.”
The implicit threat to team up with Russia comes at an extremely delicate moment as French and German leaders attempt to negotiate a peace deal with President Vladimir Putin, and Washington mulls military aid for Ukraine.
Cyprus has already caused a political storm by offering to expand Russian access to its ports and airfields – including “military facilities” – though it stopped short of offering full military bases.
Full article: Athens will turn to Moscow rather than bow to Berlin, says minister (The Age)
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