New Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who is currently in Brussels for a EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting, stated on Monday that the European Union “needs to be more than sanctions and memoranda,” the latter a reference to bailout agreements signed by successive Greek governments with institutional lenders

With regard to the negotiations between Greece and its European partners, the Kotzias told reporters that more attention must be paid to democracy, social justice and the protection of human rights.

The new Greek FM has come under scrutiny, both in Greece and abroad, for his alleged close ties to Russian leadership, an allegation that first surfaced with the new Greek government’s irritation at not being asked about a new round of sanctions against Moscow in relation to the Ukraine crisis.