Greek ambassador summoned in Moscow as Athens seeks to defuse tension

Tensions between Athens and Moscow over the expulsion last week of Russian diplomats escalated further on Friday after the Greek ambassador in Moscow, Andreas Friganas, was summoned by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which expressed its "decisive protest against continued anti-Russian statements by the Greek side."

Diplomatic sources in Athens said the summons was a "low-key" demarche concerning the statements made by the Greek Foreign Ministry in response to comments by the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who accused Athens of taking part in "dirty provocations" against Russia, to which Athens responded that "the constant disrespect for Greece must stop."

Russian Ambassador to Greece Andrey Maslov weighed in on the issue, telling Sputnik that Zakharova's comments were "correct and balanced," while the Greek Foreign Ministry's reaction was ...