"I know many are wondering why I am here [Russia] and not in Brussels to negotiate. We in Europe believe we are the navel of the world, but the economic center has shifted. There are newly-established forces which play a more important geopolitical and economic role."
Greek PM Alexis Tsipras speaks out on what many in Europe would have described as "call of the wild" during his visit to Saint Petersburg at the SPIEF economic forum. The latter is often referred to as the "Russian Davos".
Greece is under pressure to either accept international lenders' conditions or default on its debt and, possibly, leave the Eurozone.