EU moves toward sanctions on Russians, Obama meets Ukraine PM

The referendum seems to leave no such choice: Voters will have to pick between joining Russia or adopting an earlier constitution that described Crimea as sovereign. The regional assembly says that if Crimea becomes sovereign, it will sever ties with Ukraine and join Russia anyway.

Still, with the streets firmly in control of pro-Russian militiamen and Russian troops, there is little doubt the separatist authorities will get the pro-Russian result they seek. Many opponents, including Tatar leaders, plan a boycott.

There will be no Western observers. Election officials have said openly that they proudly support union with Russia. Journalists seeking accreditation for the vote are required to promise not to report “negative news.”

At the White House, Obama ridiculed the referendum, saying: “The issue now is whether Russia is able to militarily dominate a region of somebody else’s country, engineer a slapdash referendum and ignore not only the Ukrainian constitution but a Ukrainian government that includes parties that are historically in opposition with each other.”

“We will continue to say to the Russian government that if it continues on the path that it is on, then not only us but the international community, the European Union and others will be forced to apply a cost to Russia’s violation of international law and its encroachments on Ukraine,” he added.

Yatseniuk said his government was eager for talks with Russia about Ukraine but made clear his country “is and will be a part of the Western world.”

“We fight for our freedom, we fight for our independence, we fight for our sovereignty, and we will never surrender,” he said at the White House.

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