EU rejects Crimean referendum

The European Union will not recognize the outcome of the referendum of Crimea, senior EU officials said on Sunday, calling the vote illegal and indicating that the block will respond.

“The EU has a special responsibility for peace, stability and prosperity on the European continent and continue the pursuit of these objectives using all available channels,” said President EU President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. As part of efforts to get Russia to withdraw its troops from the Crimea, the foreign ministers of the EU Mondays “… assess the situation and decide on further action,” the pair said in a statement. “The solution to the crisis must be based on the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” they added.