Putin Moves To Annex Crimea Despite U.S. Sanctions

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has approved a draft bill for Crimea's annexation.

The decree, signed by Putin and posted on the official government website this morning, is just one of the steps that would formalize the annexation of Crimea, which voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.

Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden is in Europe as part of a broad U.S. campaign to persuade Russia to pull back in Ukraine.

NPR's Eleanor Beardsley is in Kiev and joins Here & Now's Robin Young with the latest.