White House Rejects Crimean Vote, Calls Russia’s Actions ‘Dangerous and Destabilizing’

The Obama administration’s National Security Council rejected Sunday’s vote in Crimea that overwhelmingly approved an annexation to Russia, declaring, “We will not recognize result of poll held under threat of violence & intimidation from Russian military intervention that violates intl law.”

We will not recognize result of poll held under threat of violence & intimidation from Russian military intervention that violates intl law.

— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) March 16, 2014

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also released his statement condemning the vote as both illegal and unnecessary, especially as the new Ukrainian government has already offered to discuss increased autonomy for the Crimean peninsula. He went on to call Russia’s actions “dangerous and destabilizing.”

“No decision should be made about the future of Ukraine without the Ukrainian government,” Carney wrote:

Statement by @PressSec about the "referendum" in Crimea today: pic.twitter.com/ZoPV7WUC5q

— @NSCPress (@NSCPress) March 16, 2014

[Image via Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo]

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