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With
time running out for Athens to reach a reform-for-aid deal with
its international creditors, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras
arrived in St Petersburg earlier on Thursday for talks with
Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials.
"There have been no requests (for help from Greece)," Storchak
told Reuters at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"There are no resources (in our budget to provide money)."
Storchak said Russia was interested in Greece resolving its
financial problems and normalizing relations with its partners,
adding that Moscow did not want any "escalation of tensions".
"The (prime minister's) visit is, in my opinion, oriented
towards finding joint projects and developing trade rather than
solving their budget problems," Storchak said.
"When the measures needed to solve (Greece's) current problems
are on such a huge scale, no one country in the world can do
this on its own. Only joint efforts of many countries at once
can help."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday a deal between
Greece and its creditors was still possible to prevent a debt
default by Athens and its possible exit from the euro zone, but
she said greater political will was needed.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly and Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by
Lidia Kelly; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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