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Situation in Greece

Kremlin: early to talk Russian aid package to Greece

According to the spokesman, Russia is ready to expand cooperation

© EPA/ DANIEL KARMANN

MOSCOW, July 13. /TASS/. It is too early to talk about some kind of aid package to Greece, but Russia is ready to expand cooperation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"In this case, we definitely should not talk about some kind of coordinated plan of providing assistance to Greece," Peskov said. "There is no need to do that. Moreover, as President [Vladimir] Putin repeatedly stated, Greece has in fact not asked for help from Russia," he added.

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"If you consider it in the framework of good relations between Russia and Greece and the two countries’ intention to do everything possible to expand these relations, especially in the trade and economic sphere, then the Russian side is ready to make efforts to further develop our cooperation with Greek partners," the spokesman stressed.

Greece "demonstrates interest" in this as well, Peskov noted.

Peskov also noted that Moscow would welcome any compromise that could help Athens and Brussels find a way out of the deadlock.

"Of course, we would welcome any compromise that will help Greece and Brussels to get out of this clinch they have entered," Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin spokesman said there should be a careful approach to any assessments here.

"As far as we understand, a very meticulous work and a very difficult work is underway there and it is very hard to find a compromise," Peskov said.

After 17 hours of negotiations, the eurozone leaders have agreed on launching the talks on the aid package for Greece as part of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).

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