The five-month stand-off between Athens and its bailout lenders may be entering its most critical phase. Leaders insist publicly that Thursday’s meeting of euro zone finance ministers is the best chance for an agreement to release €7.2bn in rescue funds Greece needs desperately.

But privately, officials admit their hopes that the gathering in Luxembourg will prove decisive are diminishing. Greece needs the funds to make a €1.5bn repayment to the International Monetary Fund by the end of June.

These are some of the key dates in the months ahead:

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