Former Greek leader Tsipras says Russia's war on Ukraine unjustifiable

Russia's war on Ukraine is unjustifiable, a Greek opposition leader and former prime minister has said.

In an interview with the daily To Vima, Syriza party chief Alexis Tsipras voiced support on Sunday for the sanctions imposed on Russia to get it to withdraw from Ukraine and find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

He maintained that Russian President Vladimir Putin had taken advantage of a precedent of Western interventions that violated international law to justify the war on Ukraine.

Despite this, he said, the war cannot be vindicated no matter what Putin invokes, Tsipras underlined.

Asked whether Russia is an ally of Greece, he said it was not, but rather "a powerful country with influence in our region and with whose people we have historical ties."

Still, Tsipras warned of "anti-Russian hysteria" that had taken hold since the outbreak of the war, resulting in a ban on cultural and sportive events that would not help to isolate Putin among common Russians.

He also criticized the Greek government's "great recklessness" in deciding to send arms to Ukraine without first consulting with "the political forces in the country."

On a meeting earlier this month between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Tsipras struck a cautious tone.

He warned that it would be to Greece's detriment if easing tensions between Ankara and Athens were to strengthen Erdogan's international position.

Further, the meeting did not come at the best possible time for Greece, said Tsipras, arguing that Athens should have continued using US pressure on Ankara and review of the EU-Turkey Customs Union to extract a more favorable outcome for Greece, he said.

Instead, Mitsotakis preferred to cling to the false narrative of an "isolated" Turkey, while Ankara continued to strengthen its position, Tsipras stressed.

When the Greek premier met Erdogan, Turkey's role in the region had already improved, he added.

- Greek painting target on itself

The Greek Communist Party also slammed the government for its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, asserting that it was making the country a target.

Pointing to the increasing US military presence in the country, party Secretary-General Dimitris Koutsoumbas said: "Giving bases and other infrastructure to the imperialists, engaging in imperialist plans, the country's own participation in imperialist alliances, either in the West or in the East, is unacceptable and dangerous."

Koutsoumbas stressed that the war was being fought between Russian and the West, with Ukrainians becoming the main victim.

According to UN estimates, at least 902 civilians have been killed and around 1,459 injured in Ukraine since Russia launched a war on its western neighbor on Feb. 24.

The UN has said the real figures are likely to be much higher as conditions on the ground make verification difficult.

UN data shows over 3.38 million refugees have fled from Ukraine since the war began, while some 6.5 million are estimated to be internally displaced in the country.