Russia pushes back Lavrov’s Greece visit after diplomatic row
The timing of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s planned visit to Greece this autumn is no longer suitable, Russia’s ambassador to Athens said on Thursday, the TASS news agency reported.
Athens said last week it had expelled two Russian diplomats and barred two other people from entering the country for trying to bribe officials and foment demonstrations to thwart a deal to allow the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to join NATO.
Greece last month invited Lavrov to visit in September, but relations have since become strained over the diplomatic row.
Speaking to the state-run ANA-MPA agency later on Thursday, diplomatic sources said that the visit had been scheduled on Moscow’s request adding that, in any case, the Russian foreign minister would be welcome to visit the Greek capital. [Reuters, Kathimerini]
