Greece Ready to Ride Putin’s Pipeline

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is among the many headliners attending Russian President Vladimir Putin’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Although Greece’s financial problems are front and center in the global markets, instead the two countries hammered out early details for a pipeline that would stretch from Greece to Turkey, according to sources connected to the Kremlin.

Speaking on FOX Business Network's Cavuto Coast to Coast, former Green Beret Captain Ben Collins said Putin is using Greece to circumvent the ongoing sanctions. “What’s really at stake for Putin is being able to build a gas pipeline through Greece into Europe since he has lost the ability because of invasion in the Ukraine.”

Gazprom, which is among Russia’s largest energy companies, is a key player in the pipeline deal.  According to a statement on the company’s website, “a working meeting took place between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Panagiotis Lafazanis, Minister of Productive Reconstruction, Environment and Energy of the Republic of Greece took place today within the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2015.”

The statement added, “The parties addressed the construction of capacities in Greece for supplying European markets with Russian pipeline gas from the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. In particular, an emphasis was put on the preparation of a pertinent inter-governmental memorandum.”

Some speculated Greece may also be looking to Russia for financial aid as its economy hangs in tatters. “The Greek Prime Minister is certainly playing with fire here,” said Collins who predicted any financial aid would just prolong a likely default.

Friday, the European Central Bank approved an emergency loan to Greece’s banking system according to Reuters, which also reported that Eurozone ministers are set to convene in an emergency meeting Monday to discuss a potential Greek default.