Overcoming their surprise when Tsipras failed to present them with a detailed plan, the leaders reluctantly agreed yesterday to a final summit Sunday, saying that could give both sides an opportunity to stave off collapse of the struggling but defiant member nation.
Underscoring the gravity of the challenge, European Union President Donald Tusk decided to call all 28 EU leaders to Brussels instead of only the 19 eurozone members, because, for the bloc, it "is maybe the most critical moment in our history."
And highlighting the rising anger with Tsipras over months of foot-dragging and surprising negotiating twists, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had a stark warning for Greece.
"We have a Grexit scenario, prepared in detail," he said, referring to the situation in which Greece would have to exit the currency union.
With Greece's banks just days away from a potential collapse that could drag the country out of the euro, Tsipras arrived with only vague proposals and a commitment to back it up with real figures and a more detailed plan by tomorrow.
Yet he made clear he had gotten the message that there wasn't a moment to waste as deadlines for debt payments that Greece cannot afford draw near.
"The process will be swift, it will be speedy, it will begin in the next few hours with the aim of concluding until the end of the week at the latest," Tsipras said.
