Greece’s fruit politics with Russia worries EU leaders

Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsiparas will hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday in Kremlin.

• This development clearly worries policymakers in Europe and beyond, who remain at loggerheads with Moscow over situation in Ukraine.
  
  
• European leaders have posed sanctions against Russia, though remained a less harsh critique than US and Britain.
  
  
• Russia in turn have imposed sanctions on Europe that includes ban on Greece over its fruit exports to Russia.

Now Alexis Tsiparas, is visiting Moscow to withdraw its ban on Greek exports. Leaders are clearly worried, what might Kremlin ask for in exchange, should a deal becomes successful between the two.

The current government in Greece and Russia shares many political ideologies. Athens Relations with Russia also has a long history of cooperation. During 1980 cold war era, then Greek prime minister offered Russia to use one of its port, however the deal was never sealed off.

• Mr. Alexis also speculated to be asking Russia to invest in Greek government bonds or provide some bail out money.
  
  
• EU leaders worry that Russia might want to use Greek veto over sanctions, which will clearly divide western leaders and might make the union a toothless tiger.
  
  
• Greece might also lease out its ports to Russia.

Political analysts have so far shrugged off the fear of such as they tend to believe that Greece will not be fetching that far, which might further sour its relations with EU leaders.

Nevertheless, Mr. Alexis's trip to Moscow will keep the pressure on EU leaders to be considerate over Greece's bail out conditions.