Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras unlikely to persuade European leaders to waive bailout deals

In Paris and Rome, it was sugar coated; in Berlin and Frankfurt unequivocal. But the message from European capitals to Greece's new leaders was the same at every stop on last week's tour - stick to your commitments.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will head to his first European summit on Thursday duly warned that it will be near impossible, as Athens wants, to rip up pledges made during the country's four-year international bailout. Tsipras and his aides were also advised to learn the ways of diplomatic custom.

"Friendship requires telling things as they are," French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said after meeting his Greek counterpart Yanis Varoufakis. "We must avoid misunderstandings and make sure all, and especially the Greek side, understand how things are."

The positions taken this past week raise pressure on Tsipras to abandon the rhetoric that got him elected. Other European capitals must decide how much they are willing to compromise to keep Greece in the euro. France and Italy, widely perceived as Greece's natural allies, will have to think how far they want to go to facilitate a deal.

"I hope that this European tour has helped them see what others are prepared to do - and not do," said one official.

Tsipras was expected to outline his plans to keep Greece financially afloat while breaking free from its bailout programme when he addressed the nation's parliament last night.