Is Russia's Alliance with Greece a Threat to NATO? (Henry Stanek, The National Interest)

Against the backdrop of ongoing economic crisis and tensions over the troika-backed austerity program, the Greek government of Alexis Tsipras has formed remarkably close ties with the Kremlin. As an active member of NATO, the Greek embrace of Russia has been seen by many as a shot across the bow of Athens’s creditors and a reminder of the leverage cash-strapped Greece can still bring to bear in negotiating debt payments. For the Russians, Greece is one of several EU members (alongside Hungary, Cyprus and the Czech Republic) it can potentially win over to undermine the sanctions regime the Union imposed after Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine. Given Greece’s geostrategic value and the role it could play in enforcing sanctions on Russia, the EU and NATO should make it a priority to curb Russian influence in a land touted as “the birthplace of democracy.”

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/russias-alliance-greece-threat-nato-16998