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Crimea always part of Russia - Putin Ukraine crisis: Putin signs Russia-Crimea treaty
(about 1 hour later)
President Vladimir Putin has told Russia's parliament that Crimea has "always been part of Russia". President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Crimea have signed a bill to absorb the peninsula into Russia.
Mr Putin was speaking at the Kremlin, where he announced new laws for Crimea to join the Russian Federation and asked MPs to back the move. Mr Putin told a special joint session of parliament that Crimea had "always been part of Russia" and the move had corrected a "historical injustice".
Mr Putin and Crimea's leaders then signed an agreement formalising the region's absorption into Russia. Crimea was taken over by pro-Russian forces in late February after Ukraine's president was ousted, and declared independence from Ukraine on Monday.
Crimea declared independence from Ukraine on Monday after a widely condemned referendum. Kiev has rejected the peninsula's secession from Ukraine.
Crimean officials say 97% of voters backed splitting from Ukraine, but the EU and US have declared the vote illegal and imposed sanctions. The government in Kiev described the vote as a "circus" held at gunpoint. In a statement, 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."
Crimea was taken over by pro-Russian forces in late February after Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia following months of street protests. 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 EU and US have declared the vote illegal and imposed sanctions in response. President Barack Obama has invited leaders of the G7 group and the EU to meet next week in The Hague to discuss the crisis.
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. Germany and France quickly condemned the Russia-Crimea treaty. The UK was suspending "all bilateral military co-operation [with Russia] not subject to treaty obligations", Foreign Secretary William Hague told Parliament.
'More than convincing''More than convincing'
Mr Putin earlier on Tuesday recognised Crimea as a sovereign state and approved a draft bill on the accession. Crimean officials say that, in a referendum held in the predominantly-ethnic-Russian region on Sunday, 97% of voters backed splitting from Ukraine.
Then in a televised address in front of both houses of parliament - and in the presence of Crimea's new leaders - he said: "In the hearts and minds of people, Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia." 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 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."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.
He criticised Ukraine's post-uprising leaders and those behind the unrest, saying they were "extremists" who had brought chaos. Mr Putin criticised Ukraine's post-uprising leaders and those behind the unrest, saying they were "extremists" who had brought chaos.
He praised the "courage, bearing and dignity" of Crimeans, and thanked all Russians for their "patriotic feeling". 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.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."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. "But we have to decide for ourselves, are we to protect our national interest or just carry on giving them away forever?" 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 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. 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 length during his speech and gave him a standing ovation, with chants of "Russia, Russia". The audience frequently applauded Mr Putin at length during his emotionally charged speech, and gave him a standing ovation, with chants of "Russia, Russia".
Mr Putin and Crimea's Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov then signed the bill to make the Black Sea peninsula a part of Russia. President Putin, Crimea's Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov, the region's Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov and the mayor of Crimea's capital, Sevastopol, Alexei Chaliy, then signed a treaty on making the Black Sea peninsula a part of Russia.
Earlier, Mr Putin had recognised Crimea as a sovereign state and approved a draft bill on its accession to the Russian Federation.
The bill must now be approved by the constitutional court and then ratified by parliament.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.The BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says the process is likely to be completed by the end of the week.
The Ukrainian crisis began in November last year after President Viktor Yanukovych ditched an EU deal in favour of stronger ties with Russia. 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.