Putin Signs Treaty To Make Crimea Part of Russia

Crimean and Russian leaders have signed a treaty to make the peninsula part of Russia.

FOX News Radio’s Jessica Golloher reports from Sevastopol:

Crimea has officially been annexed by Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin signing an accord with Crimean officials — after telling Russian lawmakers Moscow had to respond to what he called a Western plot to take Kiev into its influence. He also added that the rights of ethnic Russians were being abused in Ukraine. But he does not want more division:

(Putin) “After Crimea, we don’t want to carve up Ukraine… We don’t need this.”

This as protests continue in Russian-speaking eastern parts of Ukraine.

In Sevastopol, Jessica Golloher, FOX News Radio.

President Obama is inviting key allies to get together to talk about Ukraine next week in Europe.

FOX News Radio’s Jared Halpern has more from the White House:

After suspending plans for the G-8 summit this summer in Sochi, Russia, President Obama has instead invited leaders of the so-called G-7 countries, plus the European Union, to meet on the sidelines of a previously scheduled nuclear summit next week in the Netherlands.

A White House spokesperson says the leaders will focus on steps to respond to new developments in Ukraine.

President Obama is scheduled to also travel to Belgium, Italy, the Vatican and Saudi Arabia next week.

At the White House, Jared Halpern, Fox News Radio