Russia and Greece want to make up after diplomatic row

Greece and Russia are ready to put behind them a diplomatic row that troubled relations in July, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said after meeting in Moscow on Friday.

Athens said it had expelled two Russian diplomats and barred two other people from entering the country in July for trying to bribe officials and foment demonstrations to thwart a deal that would allow the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to join NATO. Russia has flatly denied the allegations.

In their first meeting since that incident, the two leaders defended their countries' stance but appeared ready to turn a page.

Putin called the allegations "rubbish" and said that the respective intelligence services could settle such situations "without any theatrical gestures."

"Firstly, right from the start we did not agree and we don...