Why Italy's prime minister gave Greece's new leader a black tie
Last week, he announced that he will only wear one once Greece's debt problem is resolved, the Guardian reported.
That's why Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi presented Tsipras with a black tie during a meeting in Rome on Tuesday, in hopes that the new Greek leader will don the gift once Greece emerges from its financial troubles.
"We want to give a hand to Greece," Renzi said. "But we also want the moment to come for Greece to be out of the crisis, and when that moment comes, Alexis will use an Italian tie."
Tsipras replied with the promise to wear that tie once "Greek foreign debt is dissolved." Although Renzi offered support in Greece's debt negotiations with international creditors, he and other European leaders are still against a full write-off of Greek debt.
The leaders of the Eurozone are holding crucial meetings on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of a debt swap from Greece.
Meanwhile, here's Tsipras with his tie (still sealed in plastic):
Here is a full video of the tie being presented to Tsipras: