Greek leader seeking joint Merkel-Hollande talks amid bailout impasse

Young women sit on a bench with the ancient Acropolis hill visible in the background, in Athens, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. The leader of Greece has called for joint talks with his counterparts from Germany, France and the European Union executive in the hope of getting past an impasse in the country's bailout negotiations. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland front, right, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Greece, David D. Pearce, center, arrive for a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias in Athens, on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Nuland is on a 5-day trip to Europe. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, right, shakes hands with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias during their meeting, in Athens, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Nuland is on a 5-day trip to Europe. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has called for joint talks this week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and top European Union officials on troubled bailout negotiations threatening his country's economy.

A senior government official told The Associated Press the request was made Tuesday during a telephone call between Tsipras and European Council President Donald Tusk. He spoke only on condition of anonymity pending official announcements.

The talks would also include European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and be held in Brussels on Thursday ahead of an EU leaders' meeting. There was no immediate response to the Greek request.

Tsipras is already due to meet Merkel in Berlin on Monday and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on April 8.