Russia launches "Aid to Greece" project

According to reports from the Associated Press, the Russian government believes it is essential to support small business owners and everyday citizens in an economically struggling Greece. To that end, they are launching a "Help Greece" campaign, urging Russian citizens to buy more products labeled "Made in Greece"—the goal being to boost exports from Athens by 18 billion EUR annually.
The campaign is set to officially kick off in Russia on March 23rd, coinciding with the 191st anniversary of the modern Greek Republic.

People in Russia will be encouraged to pick up Greek olive oil, olives, wine, and other Mediterranean goods. They’ve planned trade fairs, presentations, and food tastings to run throughout the year.
"Our math shows that if the average Russian spends between 3,000 and 4,000 rubles a year on Greek products, it could increase Greek exports by 15 to 18 billion EUR," said George Muradov, deputy director of USAID.

"Greece is a nation that is close to us both historically and culturally; we have to help our Greek brothers through these grueling economic, social, and political crises. We sincerely hope our citizens will wholeheartedly back this initiative.", Muradov stated.

Initial research suggests the project might actually work. In a telephone poll conducted by the Moscow radio station Echo of Moscow, 67% of respondents said they want to help by starting to buy Greek products.

"It’s unlikely that a boost of 15 to 18 billion EUR will single-handedly fix the entire economy, but you’d expect the emotional support to at least mean something to the people in Greece who are struggling so much right now.", said Vladimir Solodukin, director of the financial corporation Broker Credit Service.

I’d ask the moderators not to move this thread to a section about Russia or Greece... because the point isn't about those specific places, it's about basic human solidarity—that instinct that tells you not to look away when someone else is suffering.

If nothing else, then do it for yourself...

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the union workers,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a union worker.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't protest because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
but there was no one left to protest.

Alexander Barrett50 said:According to reports from the Associated Press, the Russian government believes it is essential to support small business owners and everyday citizens in an economically struggling Greece. To that end, they are launching a "Help Greece" campaign, urging Russian citizens to buy more products labeled "Made in Greece"—the goal being to boost exports from Athens by 18 billion EUR annually.
The campaign is set to officially kick off in Russia on March 23rd, coinciding with the 191st anniversary of the modern Greek Republic.

People in Russia will be encouraged to pick up Greek olive oil, olives, wine, and other Mediterranean goods. They’ve planned trade fairs, presentations, and food tastings to run throughout the year.
"Our math shows that if the average Russian spends between 3,000 and 4,000 rubles a year on Greek products, it could increase Greek exports by 15 to 18 billion EUR," said George Muradov, deputy director of USAID.

"Greece is a nation that is close to us both historically and culturally; we have to help our Greek brothers through these grueling economic, social, and political crises. We sincerely hope our citizens will wholeheartedly back this initiative.", Muradov stated.

Initial research suggests the project might actually work. In a telephone poll conducted by the Moscow radio station Echo of Moscow, 67% of respondents said they want to help by starting to buy Greek products.

"It’s unlikely that a boost of 15 to 18 billion EUR will single-handedly fix the entire economy, but you’d expect the emotional support to at least mean something to the people in Greece who are struggling so much right now.", said Vladimir Solodukin, director of the financial corporation Broker Credit Service.

I’d ask the moderators not to move this thread to a section about Russia or Greece... because the point isn't about those specific places, it's about basic human solidarity—that instinct that tells you not to look away when someone else is suffering.

If nothing else, then do it for yourself...

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the union workers,
and I didn't protest because I wasn't a union worker.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't protest because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
but there was no one left to protest.

Solidarity? Honestly, let's call it what it is: self-interest. It's pretty obvious that Russia wants to take advantage of the cooling relations between Greece and the European Union to tighten its ties with their religious kin and eventually expand its footprint in Southeast Europe.

Ryan Ward2 said:Solidarity? Honestly, let's call it what it is: self-interest. It's pretty obvious that Russia wants to take advantage of the cooling relations between Greece and the European Union to tighten its ties with their religious kin and eventually expand its footprint in Southeast Europe.

You've got a point there, but it makes me wonder why nobody from the European Union stepped up with an initiative to fix things before the relationship with Greece cooled down this much?

And honestly, I'm curious—what kind of results would a poll like that even yield here in the States?

Alexander Barrett50 said:You've got a point there, but it makes me wonder why nobody from the European Union stepped up with an initiative to fix things before the relationship with Greece cooled down this much?

And honestly, I'm curious—what kind of results would a poll like that even yield here in the States?

My take is that those folks in the European Union are already drowning in issues involving Greece. They're likely past the point of caring and wouldn't mind if someone else took over the heavy lifting for a change. The real question is whether the Russians would actually have the guts to pick up that hot potato.

Ryan Ward2 said:My take is that those folks in the European Union are already drowning in issues involving Greece. They're likely past the point of caring and wouldn't mind if someone else took over the heavy lifting for a change. The real question is whether the Russians would actually have the guts to pick up that hot potato.

If that's the case, why didn't they just kick them out of the EU?

Alexander Stubb thinks the referendum called by the Greek Prime Minister will essentially serve as a vote on whether the country stays in the eurozone.
The Greek Finance Minister is fully aware of this too. "Citizens will have to decide if they are for Europe, the eurozone, and the Euro," Evangelos Venizelos stated.

And yet, the EU has banned the referendum...

Well, anyone who takes help from Russia is asking for trouble... 😁

Ryan Ward2 said:My take is that those folks in the European Union are already drowning in issues involving Greece. They're likely past the point of caring and wouldn't mind if someone else took over the heavy lifting for a change. The real question is whether the Russians would actually have the guts to pick up that hot potato.

Why on earth would the Russians be afraid of such a hot potato? They could just take some credit from the Chinese—money that's already floating around the global markets—and buy up the entire Greek debt. That way, Greece wouldn't owe the European Union or NATO anymore; they'd just owe them and the Chinese.

Besides, what does a hundred billion in Greek state debt really matter when you compare it to the trillion-dollar debts held by Italy or Spain?

Alexander Barrett50 said:You've got a point there, but it makes me wonder why nobody from the European Union stepped up with an initiative to fix things before the relationship with Greece cooled down this much?

And honestly, I'm curious—what kind of results would a poll like that even yield here in the States?

There've been plenty of moves made! They actually swapped out the Prime Minister who was pushing for that referendum that could've pushed Greece away from the EU, half the debt got forgiven, and those Eurozone countries sent over several rounds of aid to Greece—I won't even try to dig up the exact numbers, but we're talking at least 120 billion EUR.

Maria Booth said:There've been plenty of moves made! They actually swapped out the Prime Minister who was pushing for that referendum that could've pushed Greece away from the EU, half the debt got forgiven, and those Eurozone countries sent over several rounds of aid to Greece—I won't even try to dig up the exact numbers, but we're talking at least 120 billion EUR.

All they did was swap one leader for a dictator.

And the debt is still astronomical. If you want an example of how this Greek debt actually started... http://www.poslovnipuls.com/2012/03/...n-sachs-grcka/

So now tell me, are Greek workers and their supposed "natural laziness" really to blame for a 600 million EUR debt being racked up in a single day?

Alexander Barrett50 said:If that's the case, why didn't they just kick them out of the EU?

Alexander Stubb thinks the referendum called by the Greek Prime Minister will essentially serve as a vote on whether the country stays in the eurozone.
The Greek Finance Minister is fully aware of this too. "Citizens will have to decide if they are for Europe, the eurozone, and the Euro," Evangelos Venizelos stated.

And yet, the EU has banned the referendum...

Oh, they certainly won't just let them walk away. I might have been exaggerating a bit there, but the reality is that this situation is incredibly messy and far too complex to be solved with a simple fix.
In all this chaos and instability, it looks like Russia has caught wind of an opportunity and is attempting to squeeze out every possible advantage through this move. It’s going to be fascinating to watch how things unfold from here and see what kind of reaction this initiative triggers within the European Union.

Alexander Barrett50 said:All they did was swap one leader for a dictator.

And the debt is still astronomical. If you want an example of how this Greek debt actually started... http://www.poslovnipuls.com/2012/03/...n-sachs-grcka/

So now tell me, are Greek workers and their supposed "natural laziness" really to blame for a 600 million EUR debt being racked up in a single day?

Right, because obviously it's someone else's fault! If anyone tried cutting pay or benefits, people would be out in the streets demanding cash from politicians immediately. The only way those politicians could get funds was by taking out loans. First, they got standard interest rates, but then—just like in real life—once the big banks stop lending because you're too deep in the hole, you end up turning to loan sharks. I mean, if an American rail worker heard his monthly salary was getting slashed from $9,000, he'd be on strike before he could even finish his coffee!
The only way to stop the chaos in Greece was to bring in a total dictator who could slash spending ruthlessly without worrying about losing an election.
Honestly, looking at the mess he inherited and what he's doing now, he's actually killing it. Greece will pay back some of it, but most creditors will probably just write off the rest.
Still, these austerity measures are huge for keeping society running. Nobody wants to buy bonds from Greek scammers anymore, and they've gotta pay pensions and salaries somehow!

Ryan Ward2 said:Oh, they certainly won't just let them walk away. I might have been exaggerating a bit there, but the reality is that this situation is incredibly messy and far too complex to be solved with a simple fix.
In all this chaos and instability, it looks like Russia has caught wind of an opportunity and is attempting to squeeze out every possible advantage through this move. It’s going to be fascinating to watch how things unfold from here and see what kind of reaction this initiative triggers within the European Union.

Actually, it's more like Germany has caught its chance— The way we handle the Greek crisis and future debt issues among EMU nations could trigger massive, perhaps even tectonic, geopolitical shifts on both the European and global stages. Moving forward, all financial troubles will be managed through the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which carries the full guarantee of all the economically strong European governments, specifically Germany. The operational logic of the EFSF was shifted during the EMU summit regarding the Greek solution. Essentially, the EFSF can scale up its "fund" as much as necessary (it's sitting at about 440 billion EUR right now) to bail out EMU members facing debt crises, provided they agree to follow the "strict" restructuring programs dictated by the EFSF.

Loan maturities have been stretched from 7.5 years all the way up to 40 years. Interest rates are set as low as possible—currently around 3.5 percent—which is significantly lower than what debt-ridden EU countries, or even some healthy ones, could ever snag on the global financial markets. All previous EFSF arrangements can be swapped out for new ones under these updated terms and rules. The EFSF can step in and buy up bonds from EMU member states that nobody else wants to touch, acting as a preventative measure against a total debt meltdown. It provides a safety net for private investors involved in financing these countries' debts. Because of this, we're going to see fewer "Greek" or "Portuguese" style bonds and more of these new "Euro" bonds on the market.

Germany is effectively the main "shareholder" of the EFSF, and they provide the director as well. Any arrangement depends on the approval of the fund where Germany holds the most sway, much like how the USA holds decisive influence over IMF decisions. The fund can actually make decisions without needing the green light from other EU institutions. Given the number of EU nations struggling with deficits and debt, and seeing as their oversight isn't happening through standard EU channels but via the EFSF, Germany's influence over the future direction of Europe is becoming incredibly obvious. By controlling public finances through the EFSF, Germany essentially gains indirect control over the economic development of most "peripheral" EU nations.

Once everyone fully grasps the implications of this setup, we can expect pushback from other European powers, particularly France and England. While the French might be relieved to let the Germans shoulder the heavy lifting of European financial stability, they might start worrying that they're losing the political clout they used to wield in Europe. England joined the EU when they realized they'd lose influence if they stayed out, and they've historically exerted that influence by occasionally using their "veto" on certain decisions. But by establishing German financial dominance through the EFSF outside of traditional EU structures, the power of the English veto becomes largely irrelevant....

All in all, it feels like Europe is turning a page toward a new era of power dynamics. The political structure built on the post-WWII status quo is being forced to evolve to match the new reality of global power shifts..

Here’s a little look at how Greece is managing things given the current situation -

Ryan Ward2 said:Solidarity? Honestly, let's call it what it is: self-interest. It's pretty obvious that Russia wants to take advantage of the cooling relations between Greece and the European Union to tighten its ties with their religious kin and eventually expand its footprint in Southeast Europe.

They should just tell the European Union, "Don't bother saving Greece, we've got it covered." They’d be left high and dry—especially the Germans, who are essentially the ones footing the bill for all those debts anyway.☕

Michael Anderson2 said:Well, anyone who takes help from Russia is asking for trouble... 😁

But why on earth would they be screwed?
I mean, it’s just common sense that Russia is going to look out for its own interests in all of this, isn't it? I mean, honestly, who in today's world is going to step up and take someone else's side without having some kind of skin in the game? It isn't quite like they're stepping in to bail anyone out of a massive debt crisis, but you have to admit, it serves as a sort of "lifeline" for the Greek economy.

rowdyowl said:They should just tell the European Union, "Don't bother saving Greece, we've got it covered." They’d be left high and dry—especially the Germans, who are essentially the ones footing the bill for all those debts anyway.☕

Here you go again, just talking nonsense. And for the love of God, I am begging you—for the hundredth time now—show me your sources. Or is this going to be another one of those ridiculous claims like that time you insisted North Korea was asking for meat from infected cows? Honestly, Michael Anderson2... 😉

rowdyowl said:They should just tell the European Union, "Don't bother saving Greece, we've got it covered." They’d be left high and dry—especially the Germans, who are essentially the ones footing the bill for all those debts anyway.☕

So, I guess the question is whether Germany acts like an independent nation that can just kick any member out of NATO whenever they feel like it... or if it’s really just a glorified piggy bank for the actual powers that have been running things since WW2. I mean, who is actually calling the shots in NATO? Is it even a real alliance anymore, or just a way for certain countries to keep others on a leash? It makes you wonder, I suppose.

Alexander Barrett50 said:Here you go again, just talking nonsense. And for the love of God, I am begging you—for the hundredth time now—show me your sources. Or is this going to be another one of those ridiculous claims like that time you insisted North Korea was asking for meat from infected cows? Honestly, Michael Anderson2... 😉

And what, am I supposed to find a published source for the thoughts inside my own head regarding Greece?

I stated my opinion on them and how certain circles within the European Union seem to view them. That's it.

As for North Korea, you haven't debunked a single thing I've said, but hey, I'm glad you still have such a sharp memory for it. 🙂
Just do me a favor: if you really want to revisit that debate, take it to the actual thread about them. I don't want this drifting into off-topic territory.

I’m looking for the sources behind your claims that "Moldovan is banned in Transnistria" and that "American kids don't even know who Jesus is, yet they all know George had slaves."

It isn't my job to debunk every random "fact" this guy throws out... you're the one who needs to actually prove them...

Besides, haven't you figured out by now that I have a hell of a memory and that I'm EER?

steelwolf10 said:But why on earth would they be screwed?
I mean, it’s just common sense that Russia is going to look out for its own interests in all of this, isn't it? I mean, honestly, who in today's world is going to step up and take someone else's side without having some kind of skin in the game? It isn't quite like they're stepping in to bail anyone out of a massive debt crisis, but you have to admit, it serves as a sort of "lifeline" for the Greek economy.

Because anyone who got tangled up with the Russians ended up completely screwed. 😁