CRI听力:Greece Did Not Seek Financial Aid from Russia: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin is rebuffing suggestions Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras requested financial assistance from Russia during his recent visit to Moscow.

There has been speculation Tsipras had been looking for Russian aid to ease Greece's debt crisis, while at the same time, countering pressure from its creditors from the European Union.

However, Putin says no formal request for broad-based loans has been made.

But in saying that, Putin does say the Russian side would consider loans to Greece for big joint projects, potentially in the energy sector.

"The Greek party hasn't asked for any aid. That's first. Secondly, we discussed cooperation in different sectors of the economy, including carrying out massive projects in the energy sector. Within these projects there can be situations that would allow us not only to credit the plans that we discussed, but also resolve questions on credit relations in a wider context."

Putin is also hinting Moscow may be preparing to lift its embargo on food imports from Greece.

Russia has been banning selected food imports from the EU in retaliation for sanctions the EU has been imposing on it.

A re-opening of Greek food imports could be worth millions of euros for Greek farmers.

Russia was among Greece's leading trade partners before the sanctions were introduced.

Combined with Greece's own economic problems, trade between the two countries is down by some 40 percent.