Schulz to Tsipras: Don't break EU line in Russia sanctions

European Parliament President Martin Schulz has again warned Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras not to sidestep the European Union's policy on sanctions toward Russia, comments aired a day before the latter travels to Moscow for an official visit.

"Greece demands and gets a lot of solidarity from the EU. We can therefore also ask for solidarity from Greece, and for this solidarity (is) not to be ended unilaterally by pulling out of joint measures," Schulz was quoted by a German regional daily identified as Muenchner Merkur.

His full statements will be published on Wednesday.

"He (Tsipras) should base his actions in Moscow on that; the EU expects that from him as the head of government of an EU member state," Schulz stressed.

EU sanctions have been placed on Russia over its perceived actions and support of pro-Russia rebels in east Ukraine.

The leftist government in Athens has gone out of its way to state that it will not seek funding outside of the eurozone, although analysts are keen to see what the actual agenda of talks in Moscow yield.