President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Crimea have signed a bill to absorb the peninsula into Russia.
Mr Putin told parliament Crimea had “always been part of Russia” and he had corrected a “historical injustice”. Crimea was taken over by pro-Russian forces in late February after Ukraine’s president was ousted, and declared independence from Ukraine on Monday. Kiev said it would never accept the treaty and the US has called a G7-EU crisis meeting next week in The Hague. US Vice-President Joe Biden, speaking in Poland, said Russia’s involvement in Crimea was “a brazen military incursion” and its annexation of the territory was “nothing more than a land grab” by Moscow. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said: “We do not recognise and never will recognise the so-called independence or the so-called agreement on Crimea joining the Russian Federation.” Germany and France quickly condemned the Russia-Crimea treaty. UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: “It is completely unacceptable
for Russia to use force to change borders on the basis of a sham referendum held at the barrel of a Russian gun.” Mr Putin later appeared before crowds in Moscow’s Red Square, telling them: “Crimea and Sevastopol are returning to… their home shores, to their home port, to Russia!”He shouted “Glory to Russia” as the crowds chanted “Putin!” ‘More than convincing’ Crimean officials say that, in a referendum held in the predominantly ethnic-Russian region on Sunday, 97% of voters backed splitting from Ukraine. The EU and US have declared the vote illegal. Travel bans and asset freezes have been imposed on government officials and other figures in Russia, Crimea and Ukraine, but these have been largely dismissed as ineffectual in Russia. In a televised address in front of both houses of parliament and Crimea’s new leaders, Mr Putin said: “In the hearts and minds of people, Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia.” The referendum had been legal and its results were “more than convincing”, he said. “The people of Crimea clearly and convincingly expressed their will – they want to be with Russia,” he said, and were no longer prepared to put up with the “historical injustice” of being part of Ukraine. Mr Putin criticised Ukraine’s post-uprising leaders and those behind the unrest, saying they were “extremists” who had brought chaos. He also praised the “courage, bearing and dignity” of Crimeans, and thanked all Russians for their “patriotic feeling”. The West, he said, had behaved “irresponsibly” in backing the uprising, and dismissed concerns that Russia might go on to annex more of Ukraine. “Don’t trust those who frighten you with Russia… we do not need a divided Ukraine” he said. Russia “will of course be facing foreign confrontation,” he said, adding: “We have to decide for ourselves, are we to protect our national interest or just carry on giving them away forever?” He also thanked China for what he said was its support during the crisis. Beijing, which routinely avoids commenting on the affairs of other countries, had abstained from voting on a UN draft resolution condemning Russia for its actions in Crimea. The audience frequently applauded Mr Putin at length during his emotionally charged speech, and gave him a standing ovation. The bill must now be approved by the constitutional court and then ratified by parliament. The BBC’s Richard Galpin in Moscow says the process is likely to be completed by the end of the week. Western powers have roundly condemned Tuesday’s treaty. The UK was suspending “all bilateral military co-operation [with Russia] not subject to treaty obligations”, Foreign Secretary William Hague told Parliament.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the referendum, the declaration of independence and Crimea’s “absorption into the Russian Federation” were “against international law”. French President Francois Hollande called for a “strong and coordinated European response” to the Russian moves.Crimea was transferred from Russia to Ukraine while under Soviet rule in 1954. The Ukrainian crisis began in November last year after President
Viktor Yanukovych abandoned an EU deal in favour of stronger ties with Russia. – bbc news
