Greek prime minister reaches out to Vladimir Putin for help in financial crisis

``In a speech delivered in front of Putin in Russia, Tsipras said Moscow was one of Greece's most important partners, and dismissed critics who wondered why he was in St Petersburg and not in Brussels trying to secure an urgent deal with European creditors... The two countries announced a deal earlier in the day to route a pipeline through Greece that would carry Russian gas to Europe. Greece can expect transit payments -- but not until the project is completed in 2019. Putin's aides indicated that Moscow would consider lending Greece money if required, though no formal request had yet been submitted.''