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Officially Completing the Annexation of Crimea from Ukraine
Published March 21, 2014FoxNews.com
MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin signed bills at the Kremlin Friday officially completing the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
Putin hailed the incorporation of Crimea into Russia as a "remarkable event" before he signed the bills into law. Ukraine and the West have rejected the earlier vote by Russian parliament held two weeks after Russian troops had taken over Crimea.
The U.S. and the European Union have responded by slapping sanctions on Russia. President Obama ordered a second round of sanctions Thursday targeting members of Putin's inner circle and a major bank supporting them.
International agencies downgraded Russia's outlook, and Russian stock plummeted Friday.
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Putin said in televised remarks at Friday's session of the presidential Security Council that he sees no immediate need for further Russian retaliation and said sardonically that he would open an account in the targeted bank.
Putin's statement appeared to signal to the West that Russia wants to maintain cooperation in other areas despite the tensions over Ukraine. He said that Russia will keep funding a program to service Afghan helicopters and train their crews that has been conducted jointly with NATO.
Meanwhile in Brussels, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and EU leaders signed an association agreement that was part of the pact that former President Viktor Yanukovych backed out of last November in favor of a $15 billion bailout from Russia.
That decision sparked the protests that ultimately led to his downfall and flight last month, setting off one of Europe's worst political crises since the Cold War.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report
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