Putin signs Crimea over to Russia as the EU and US issue sanctions
PRESIDENT Putin has signed Crimea over to Russia and announced it is now a sovereign state, according to the Kremlin.
The Russian president is understood to have signed a decree last night recognising the Ukrainian territory as part of Russia, following a widely-disputed vote in Crimea on Sunday.
The news comes as President Obama and EU leaders issued sanctions against Russia yesterday, following a failure to secure diplomatic talks between the conflicted regions.
The Western nations stood together and announced asset freezes against Russian citizens within hours of each other yesterday, as Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed he would support further, broader sanctions if no agreement is reached on how to proceed peacefully.
A Number 10 spokesman said last night: “The Prime Minister does think today’s measures are right and important; he agrees that we may go further in terms of more individual sanctions.” He added that the action taken yesterday by the EU and US should act as a clear signal to Russia that the international community is united against Russian action in Crimea.
President Obama echoed Cameron, warning: “We will continue to make clear to Russia that further provocations will achieve nothing except to further isolate Russia and diminish its place in the world.” The White House said the sanctions were the most comprehensive since the Cold War.
European foreign ministers yesterday issued EU-wide sanctions against 21 individuals from Ukraine and Russia, most with close links to the situation in Crimea. The US announced a list of seven officials, including four top Russian ministers.
Both Europe and the US are encouraging Russia and Ukraine to talk.