Crimea Latest: Russian parliament ratified treaty to make Crimea part of Russian Federation

Russia's lower parliament ratified a treaty to make Crimea a part of the Russian Federation on Thursday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had presented the treaty on annexing Crimea to lawmakers, urging them to accept the region as a part of the Russian Federation.

Speaking "on behalf" of President Vladimir Putin, he told the State Duma folding the Black Sea Peninsula into Russia was needed to protest ethnic Russians there. "I hope this will become a turning point in the fate of many people who are united by many things," Lavrov said.

He said the treaty to absorb Crimea into the Russian Federation would "be a turning point in the fate of the multi-ethnic peoples of Crimea and Russia, who are linked by the close ties of historical solidarity".

Russia's moves to annex the Black Sea peninsula have turned a confrontation with Europe and the United States into the biggest crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War.

Lavrov told lawmakers that sanctions -- as imposed against certain Russian and Ukrainian officials by the West -- "have never brought any positive results" and that there were no grounds for them.

Meanwhile, European Union leaders prepared to hold critical talks on how to respond to Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula.

Even as Russia insisted its actions were legitimate, Ukraine's parliament said that Kiev will never stop fighting for Crimea.

The declaration came even though Kiev's new leaders said they were prepared to evacuate military personnel from the region if the United Nations designates Crimea "a demilitarized zone."

In an announcement that comes days after Moscow claimed the autonomous region as its own, the Kiev parliament said "Crimea was, is and will be part of Ukraine."

"The Ukrainian people will never, under no circumstances, stop fighting for the liberation of Crimea from the occupants, no matter how hard and long it is." Putin announced the annexation of Crimea after voters in the semi-autonomous territory approved a hastily called weekend referendum on separating from Ukraine.

Western leaders have denounced Moscow's actions as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law.

U.S. and EU officials have imposed sanctions on more than two dozen Russian and Crimean officials, and urged Russia to avoid escalating the crisis. Moscow has ignored those calls. European Union leaders are due to meet in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday to discuss the crisis, with possible further targeted sanctions.

CNN