[VLM]

"That trust has to come from the backing of a foreign institution."

Central Bank of Russia. That's its self descriptive name.

Now that I've pointed out there are more than binary alternatives WRT euro or drachma, I'm not about to start claiming this 3rd alternative is the only other possible alternative. But it sure is a good idea!

From the Greek perspective they're "all equal under the law" in theory but in practice they're gonna be debt slaves until they finally break completely free. There are alternative short term plans but NO alternative long term plans. Better sooner than later. What I mean is something like revolution now and be back to normal in 2020, or five years of grinding poverty (if they're lucky enough to have it that good) followed by revolution in 2020 and back to normal in 2025. The Russians are big enough to take care of greek issues, are somewhat more financially competent than the greeks, and are reasonably nearby.

From the Russian perspective this would be a "cheap" way to gain a friendly client state in Europe. Aid business is corrupt as heck so some fraction of the "aid" would just get recycled into Russian arms industries, like every other foreign aid package. Russia has natgas and resources in general. Greece has ports and Russia always likes ports... Greece has land that would hold a Russian military base or airfield or naval base.