VIDEO

Putin, Crimea leaders sign treaty on Crimea joining Russia

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (second from right), Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov (left), Crimean parliament speaker Vladimir Konstantionov (second from left) and Alexei Chaly, Sevastopol's new de facto mayor (right), sign a treaty on the
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (second from right), Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov (left), Crimean parliament speaker Vladimir Konstantionov (second from left) and Alexei Chaly, Sevastopol's new de facto mayor (right), sign a treaty on the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula becoming part of Russia in the Kremlin in Moscow on March 18, 2014. President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 signed a treaty with the leaders of Crimea on the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula becoming part of Russia, state television showed. -- PHOTO: AFP

MOSCOW (AFP) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a treaty with the leaders of Crimea on the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula becoming part of Russia, state television showed.

Putin signed the treaty with Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov and other Crimean leaders at a ceremony at the Kremlin attended by both houses of parliament. Lawmakers, who still have to ratify the treaty, broke into applause and cheers after the signing.

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