![Russian Federation Council in session Russian Federation Council member Anton Siluanov delivers a speech as Russian Federation Council deputy chairman Ilyas Ukhmanov, Russian Federation Council chairperson Valentina Matviyenko, Russian Federation Council deputy chairmen Evgeny Bushmin and Yuri Vorobyov (L to R, background) look on at a plenary meeting of the Russian Federation Council on Jan. 28, 2015.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/anton-siluanov.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Russia’s finance minister said his country would consider providing financial support to Greece, raising the stakes for the European Union as it confronts the new Euroskeptic reality in Athens.
Anton Siluanov told CNBC that Russia has not received a request from Greece for assistance, but his comments come days after the anti-E.U. party Syriza won parliamentary elections, vowing to renegotiate aid packages from the bloc that are tied to strict austerity measures.
“We can imagine any situation, so if such petition is submitted to the Russian government, we will definitely consider it,” he said, “but will take into account all the factors of our bilateral relationships between Russia and Greece, so that is all I can say.”
The Greek government’s clash with the E.U. over its debt risks cutting the country off from euro zone lenders and private investors. That could create an opening for Russia to expand its influence in Greece—an ugly prospect for the E.U. as it engages in a sanctions battle with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
E.U. foreign ministers agreed on Thursday to impose a new round of sanctions, according to the Associated Press, apparently overcoming for now concerns from the new Greek government about expanding the rift between the EU and Russia.
[CNBC]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com