The Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is scheduled to travel to Moscow for the 8th and 9th of April, after being invited by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

According to the PM’s press office, the invite was to discuss, among other, bilateral issues such as trade, investments, energy, tourism, culture and education. The overall relationship of Russia with the European Union and other current regional and international affairs will also be on the agenda.

The Greek Premier was initially scheduled to visit Moscow in May, with other international leaders, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of defeating the Axis forces, however it was later decided to bring Mr. Tsipras’ visit forward. The trip has displeased Brussels and Berlin, which view it as an attempt to open to Moscow.

The CDU’s Günther Krichbaum and Chairman of the German Parliament’s Committee of European Union Affairs recently argued that anyone wishing European help must be look towards Brussels and not Moscow. The President of European Parliament Martin Schulz commented that it would be “unacceptable” for Greece to endanger the common EU stance towards Russian, in exchange for Russian aid. When asked, the European Commission offered no comment.

With this official visit Athens is aiming to bolster its ties with Russia, by emphasizing the benefits of Greece’s participation in the new Russian energy project, the Turkish Stream pipeline. Furthermore steps have been taken lately to partly lift the Russian embargo on Greek agricultural products.