Russia considering direct fuel deliveries to help Greece

Russia is considering direct deliveries of fuel to Greece to help prop up its economy, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Sunday, quoted by Russian news agencies.

"Russia intends to support the revival of Greece's economy by broadening cooperation in the energy sector," Novak told journalists, quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.

"Accordingly we are studying the possibility of organising direct deliveries of energy resources to Greece, starting shortly."

Novak said that the energy ministry expected "to come to an agreement within a few weeks," but did not specify what type of fuel Russia would supply.

Greece's left-wing leadership has made a show of drawing closer to Moscow in recent months as the spat with its international creditors has grown more ugly.

In June, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during a visit to Russia sealed a preliminary agreement for Russia to build a 2-billion-euro ($2.2 billion) gas pipeline through Greece, extending the TurkStream project, which is intended to supply Russian gas to Turkey.
Source: AFP