Kotzias

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed his optimism on Friday over the outcome of negotiations between the Greek government and the country's international creditors, speaking to his Cabinet on Friday.

During the five-hour meeting, which ended well after midnight, the ministers were briefed on the developments that occurred at the Eurogroup meeting and the EU Summit a day earlier.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday for talks described by the latter as ?successful, honest and constructive.?

MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Greece's stance on sanctions on Wednesday, saying the country understood how counter-productive their use was in dealing with Russia.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday amid speculation that Athens might seek financing help outside the euro zone if negotiations with its European partners fail.

Greece's foreign ministry said Kotzias had been invited to Moscow by Lavrov.

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias repeated the new Greek government?s claim for war reparations from Germany Tuesday during a joint news conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin.

During joint statements with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmayer in Berlin, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias, called for cooperation with Greece's partners in order to "give hope to the Greek people" and also raised the issue of war loan.

In an interview to German magazine Spiegel on Monday, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias talked about a number of issues, including the situation in Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia and Germany's role in Europe.

Read below excerpts of the interview on several issues.

On the European stance towards Russia

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.

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.

Greece's Foreign Minister Nikolaos Kotzias is to visit Moscow on Wednesday to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Interfax and TASS news agencies reported on Monday citing a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry.