Main News of March 18

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Crimea signed a treaty reunifying the Ukrainian breakaway region with Russia after 60 years as part of Ukraine

* Paris will consider canceling a 1.2-billion-euro deal to deliver two Mistral-class warships to the Russian navy if Moscow provokes further escalation in Ukraine, the French foreign minister has said

* Kiev recalled its ambassador to Moscow for consultations on Crimea, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said

* One pro-Russian militiaman was killed and two other wounded in a sniper attack on the streets of the Crimean capital, Simferopol, local media reported

 

RUSSIA

* Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country was open to further cooperation with NATO, but remained opposed to the organization’s presence in historic Russian territories

* Up to 20 warships and auxiliary vessels of the Ukrainian navy could become part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet following the reunification of Crimea with Russia, a senior Russian lawmaker said

* The Russian Parliament voted to appoint Ella Pamfilova to the post of Human Rights Ombudsman