EU and NATO will not allow Greece to flirt with Moscow for long

The Greek crisis, which is deeply worrying in Europe, could potentially benefit Russia. There is now a growing squadron in Greece willing to ditch the euro and pave the way for a broader strategic alliance with Russia. Putin called the Greek prime minister after the referendum to express his support. Tsipras has visited Moscow twice in the past two months, once to sign a preliminary contract for a pipeline to transport Russian natural gas to Europe via Greece and Turkey, allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine.

There are many similarities behind the historical and religious ties between the two countries. Now the Greek people are warmer towards Russia, experiencing a cooling towards Europe. Even before the events of recent months, only 23 percent of Greeks had a positive view of the EU, according to a Eurobarometer poll published last fall, while a Pew Research Center survey found that 63 percent of Greeks expressed a positive view of Russia. Back in February, Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos told Greek TV that "If the deal doesn't go through ... then we must have a plan B," which, among others, "may be Russia."

Of course, Greek leaders can simply bluff for leverage in negotiations. A Russian foreign policy specialist at King's College London says: “The Russian government cannot afford to save the Greek economy. Russia faces its own problems, including from events in Ukraine and the oil-dependent economy. Neither the EU nor NATO will allow Greece flirt with Moscow for a long time. "

However, Russia is certainly interested in the protracted Greek economic crisis, which is weakening Europe. In this case, Russian companies and individuals, along with representatives from China, Germany and other countries, will almost certainly buy up Greek infrastructure, including airports, ports and roads.

Konstantinos Karamanlis, the former prime minister and president of Greece who helped secure a place in Europe for his country, announced in 1976 that "Greece belongs to the West." Now the question is whether Putin can reverse this aphorism and declare that "Greece belongs to the East."