Yanis Varoufakis appeared confident of finding a “new middle ground” for a deal with European partners and lenders after his meeting with the Italian FinMin in Rome on Monday. The contacts basically paved the way for the meeting between the Greek and Italian PMs.

Varoufakis repeated that Athens will use “any and all fiscal measures and tools possible” in order to reduce public debt and end what he called the “perpetual torment” of austerity, which he charged has caused a humanitarian crisis in Greece and led to a “deflation crisis” in Europe.

The flamboyant new Greek FinMin spoke of a “roadmap” for the next few years on exiting the crisis and underlined that there’s an increasing opinion in Europe that talks must commence for a stabilization in the eurozone, something that cannot occur as long as Greece does not acquire the economic stability it deserves.

Finally, he spoke of a need for reform of the Greek economy.