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Condemning the Russia's move to annex Crimea, US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have agreed to send international monitors to Ukraine immediately, the White House said.
"The leaders condemned Russia's moves to formally annex Crimea, which is a violation of international law, and noted there would be costs," the White House said yesterday, following a telephonic call between the two leaders.
"They agreed it was vital to send international monitors from the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations to southern and eastern Ukraine immediately," the White House said.
Obama and Merkel agreed to continue to underscore to Russian President Vladimir Putin that there remains a clear path for resolving this crisis diplomatically, in a way that addresses the interests of both Russia and the people of Ukraine.
They discussed ways to support Ukraine as it works to stabilise its economy and prepare for elections in May.
Obama and Merkel noted the importance of bilateral as well as multilateral support for Ukraine, including through the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.
"The two leaders agreed to continue to coordinate closely on the situation in Ukraine in the days to come, including at the G-7 meeting in the Hague," the White House said.
