ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece reacted with dismay today after European finance ministers failed to agree to release vital rescue loans, with the prime minister warning that the stakes are higher than just his debt-ridden country’s future.

After 12 hours of debate, finance ministers from the 17 European Union countries that use the euro, together with the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank, had no deal on Greece’s financing. The impasse follows another fruitless meeting last week and highlights the depth of divisions over how to handle the country’s huge debt problem without reaching deeper into the pockets of their own taxpayers.

“Greece has done what it had to and what it had committed to doing,” Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said. “Our partners, along with the IMF, also must do what they have undertaken.”

The ministers are to convene again next Monday.

But Greece is already living on borrowed time. Faced with (euro) 5 billion ($6.4 billion) in maturing treasury bills that it couldn’t pay last week, Athens issued more shortterm debt to cover the gap and tide it over until it can receive its bailout funds. But most of that was in the form of four-week treasury bills, meaning the country will face the same situation next month — when it has more than (euro) 7 billion ($9 billion) in redemptions — unless the loans come through.

“It is not just the future of our country, but the stability of the entire eurozone that depends on the successful completion of this effort in the coming days,” Samaras said.

“Whatever technical difficulties (there might be) in finding a technical solution, do not excuse any … delay,” he said.

Greece’s fortunes are inextricably tied to the rest of the eurozone. Without the bailout funds that have been keeping it afloat since May 2010, the country would default and could end up having to leave the eurozone. This could have a knock-on effect on other financially troubled eurozone nations, with investors pulling their money out of those countries too, or demanding higher returns to keep it there.