11:49
18.3.2014
Putin getting a lot off his chest. Listing examples of West working around or without UN Security Council, NATO expansion, missile defense
— Kirit Radia (@KiritRadia) March 18, 2014
11:53
18.3.2014
Burst of applause, chanting, and standing ovation as Putin asks for the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
11:53
18.3.2014
Putin's website has begun posting the text of his speech in Russian: http://t.co/9WETI7639n
— Robert Coalson (@CoalsonR) March 18, 2014
12:07
18.3.2014
They did it live on TV. Putin and Crimean leaders signed a treaty annexing Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as part of the Russian Federation. Lawmakers applauded and chanted "Russia! Russia!"
12:13
18.3.2014
Putin's website is wasting no time today. It's already posted the text of the Crimea treaty: kremlin.ru/news/20604
12:19
18.3.2014
Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine denounces "blatant land grab" in Crimea
Putin's decisionfor #Russia to annex Crimea = most blatant land grab in Europe since WWII. Will trigger additional Western sanctions.
— Steven Pifer (@steven_pifer) March 18, 2014
12:23
18.3.2014
Meanwhile, here's some more from the wires on U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's trip to Europe:
A senior administration official who is traveling with Biden is quoted as saying the American vice president will reaffirm the NATO allies of Article 5 commitments, discuss how to support Ukraine as it tries to stabilize its economy, and debate further steps to take in the weeks ahead. Biden is not expected to discuss any changes in the missile-defense strategy in Eastern Europe. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)
A senior administration official who is traveling with Biden is quoted as saying the American vice president will reaffirm the NATO allies of Article 5 commitments, discuss how to support Ukraine as it tries to stabilize its economy, and debate further steps to take in the weeks ahead. Biden is not expected to discuss any changes in the missile-defense strategy in Eastern Europe. (AP, WarsawVoice.com)
12:43
18.3.2014
Putin's website, still hard at work, is publishing the English translation of his speech here: eng.kremlin.ru/news/6889
12:44
18.3.2014
Lettering already being changed at #Crimea parliament. pic.twitter.com/RzcN8KIOED
— Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) March 18, 2014
12:46
18.3.2014
This just in from RFE/RL's newsdesk:
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says that G8 leaders have suspended Russia's participation in the club of world powers due to Moscow's actions in Crimea.
Fabius, speaking today to the French radio station Europe 1, said, "We decided to suspend Russia's participation, and it is envisaged that all the other countries...will unite without Russia."
The other G8 members -- France, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Italy -- had previously said they would suspend preparations for the G8 summit in June scheduled to be held in the Russian resort city of Sochi.
Fabius caused a stir in Russia yesterday when he canceled a visit to Moscow and said France might suspend work on two helicopter-carrying warships it is building for Russia.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said those statements "undermine trust." (AP, Europe 1)
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says that G8 leaders have suspended Russia's participation in the club of world powers due to Moscow's actions in Crimea.
Fabius, speaking today to the French radio station Europe 1, said, "We decided to suspend Russia's participation, and it is envisaged that all the other countries...will unite without Russia."
The other G8 members -- France, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Italy -- had previously said they would suspend preparations for the G8 summit in June scheduled to be held in the Russian resort city of Sochi.
Fabius caused a stir in Russia yesterday when he canceled a visit to Moscow and said France might suspend work on two helicopter-carrying warships it is building for Russia.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said those statements "undermine trust." (AP, Europe 1)