Germany sees no reason to immediately restart bailout negotiations after Greeks voted against their international creditors' conditions for further aid, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Monday, though he left the door open to more talks. The Greeks' defiant stance has set up a collision course with the country's creditors, pushing it closer to bankruptcy and a potential exit from the eurozone. Germany, which has taken the lead in the eurozone push for austerity, is sticking to its stance that Greece must follow tough economic policies. Ms. Merkel and French President François Hollande are meeting Monday evening to hash out a strategy. For months, France has argued debt relief is necessary to keep Greece in the eurozone, while Germany has insisted Athens must honor its financial commitments. Spokesman Steffen Seibert said the German government respects the outcome of the vote and that the door remains open to talks. "But in light of yesterday's decision by Greek citizens, conditions are currently not given to enter negotiations about a new aid program," he said. He also said Germany will wait for new proposals that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will bring to a meeting of eurozone leaders in Brussels on Tuesday. His comments come as Greece's confrontational finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, resigned, saying he was stepping aside at Mr. Tsipras's request to smooth negotiations. French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said there is still a basis for talks and urged the Greek government to make proposals so that negotiations can restart. If Greece makes serious, solid proposals and European countries offer concessions--including finding ways to lighten the country's debt burden--there is a basis for discussions, Mr. Sapin said on French radio RTL. More than 61% of Greeks voted "no" in Sunday's referendum on austerity measures and other overhauls that European and International Monetary Fund officials had demanded in recent talks. The rejection of creditors' demands for pension cuts, value-added tax increases and other austerity measures is expected to bolster the conviction of the Athens government that it can press its creditors for a better deal that includes fewer painful fiscal measures and more debt relief. A Greek government official said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had asked to speak with the Greek premier. Mr. Putin has said that Russia was r eady to consider financial help to Greece. MarketWatch