Berlin

Erler: Germany against weapons deliveries to Ukraine

BELGRADE - Gernot Erler, a member of the Bundestag and special representative of the German government for the country's OSCE chairmanship in 2016, said on Tuesday that Berlin is advocating for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, and is against arms deliveries to Ukraine.

BELGRADE - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic conferred on Tuesday with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Hoyt Brian Yee and U.S. Ambassador in Serbia Michael Kirby.

Greece could turn to "another source" for funding in the event that a deal is not reached with its eurozone partners and Berlin in particular, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said on Monday night, adding that the government - in which his party is the junior partner - has an "obligation to go to Plan B."

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will visit Berlin Tuesday and Moscow Wednesday to hold talks with his German and Russian counterparts at a time when European governments are concerned that the debt-wracked nation is cozying up to the Kremlin.

Germany?s Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel on Monday brushed off calls by Greece?s newly elected government for Berlin to pay reparations for damage inflicted during the country?s Nazi occupation, claiming that the matter was settled following German reunification in 1990.

European Union foreign ministers on Monday delayed the implementation of a new round of sanctions against Russia to give a chance to a fresh peace initiative led by France and Germany.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will meet with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Tuesday, a day before an absolutely crucial Eurogroup extraordinary meeting,.

Following Tuesday's meeting, Kotzias travels to Paris and Moscow.

Germany said on Monday there was "zero" chance of it paying World War Two reparations to Athens, following a renewed demand from Greece?s new leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The European Union on Feb. 9 put fresh sanctions against Moscow on hold ahead of a summit to thrash out a Ukraine peace plan aimed at ending 10 months of bloodshed.
      
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the EU would hold off implementing new individual sanctions to improve the chances of success at the four-way summit planned for Wednesday in Minsk.
      

By Nikos Chrysoloras & Marcus Bensasson

European leaders urged Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to pare back his ambitions for easing the financial pressure on his people as stocks and bonds tumbled.