Spain Criticizes Greece on Russia

Struggling to repay its debt and asking for new terms, Greece is desperate for relief. In April, Spanish Prime Minister José Manuel García-Margallo criticized the decision of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, during a visit to Moscow, to denounce the sanctions and counter-sanctions between the EU and Russia. Greece is also on the defensive after a British newspaper suggested that Tspiras may be a “useful idiot” for the Russians – a Cold War phrase referring to communist sympathizers in the West. The newspaper later clarified that Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves did not make direct reference to Tsipras. Russia, too, has joined the war of words with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claiming the sanctions against Russia are led by “an aggressive minority.” Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia have publicly criticized the sanctions, which suggests that Russia is succeeding in dividing the European Union.. – YaleGlobal