The Greek Finance Minister has called on Ireland to support his country's position in last ditch talks to prevent his country's exit from the Euro.

Writing in today's Irish Times, Yanis Varoufakis asks if the eurozone would be a better place if Greece was - as he put it - "thrown to the wolves".

"Or is a deal revolving around these proposals more likely to lead to greater openness, efficiency and democracy?" he adds.

Mr Varoufakis also writes, "perhaps the most telling remark by any finance minister... came from Michael Noonan. He protested that ministers had not been made privy to the institutions’ proposal to my government before being asked to participate in the discussion.

"To his protest, I wish to add my own: I was not allowed to share with Mr Noonan, or indeed with any other finance minister, our written proposals."

EU leaders will meet on Monday for a crisis summit.

But time is running out, as Greece must find €1.6bn to repay the International Monetary Fund within the next fortnight, or risk a default which would force it out of the eurozone.

European Council President Donald Tusk says it is up to Greece to decide whether it wants to leave the single currency, or take what he says is a 'good offer' of financial support.

The European Central Bank has agreed to increase emergency credit for Greece's banks.

Meanwhile, Russia's president is criticising the European Union over its handling of the Greek debt crisis.

Vladimir Putin claims European politicians should be focusing on helping the country restore economic growth.

Russia says it is ready to consider providing financial support to Greece as European finance ministers have been holding talks aimed at stopping a default.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said that his country would look at the "question" of providing money in order to protect investment projects and trade.