Moscow, March 18 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a treaty to incorporate Crimea into Russia, shortly after delivering a speech before the parliament in which he said that Crimea was and is an integral part of Russia. The signing in the Kremlin came two days after Crimeans voted overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum condemned by the Ukrainian government, the United States and the European Union as illegitimate. Putin drew applause and a standing ovation as he began addressing a joint session of parliament at the Kremlin.
