President Obama spoke to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece and German Chancellor Angela Merkel Tuesday in a continued U.S. push to encourage European and Greek leaders to reach a compromise on Greece's debt crisis that allows it to remain in the Eurozone.
The official White House read-outs of the phone calls were terse, noting that Obama spoke with Tsipras on his "ideas for a path forward between Greece and its creditors" and reiterating that "it is in everyone's interest that Greece and its creditors reach a mutually acceptable agreement."
The conversations Obama had with Merkel and Tsipras, "reflect the view … that all parties continue to acknowledge that it's in their collective and mutual interest for Greece to remain part of the eurozone," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Tuesday.
"But the only way that will succeed in achieving that goal is for all of the parties to agree to a package of reforms and financing that puts Greece back on that path of economic growth and debt sustainability," he said.
But Earnest was quick to note that Obama would not intervene directly in the negotiations nor is the U.S. planning to offer Greece any financial assistance.
On Sunday, Greek voters went to the polls and overwhelmingly rejected new austerity measures proposed by international creditors in exchange for emergency funds to help offset the country's debt crisis. The results marked a victory, at least temporarily, for Tsipras, who was swept into office on an anti-austerity platform.
Greece was still trying to negotiate the terms of additional loans this week, and was hoping to finalize some agreement with the International Monetary Fund by Friday.