White House urges international community "to impose costs" against Russia for actions in Ukraine

The White House rejected the Crimea referendum held Sunday as illegitimate, and is urging the international community to continue "to stand together" in opposing Russia's actions in Crimea and supporting the sovereign territorial integrity of Ukraine.

White House spokesman Jay Carney reflected Sunday "In this century, we are long past the days when the international community will stand quietly by while one country forcibly seizes the territory of another."

Sunday's referendum, Carney argued, "was not necessary" and the issue of Crimea's status should have been part of a national dialogue and not involved Russia, whose actions in Crimea "are dangerous and destabilizing."

"We call on all members of the international community to continue to condemn such actions, to take concrete steps to impose costs, and to stand together in support of the Ukrainian people and Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty."

[White House]