Kiev,
Ukraine (CNN) --
We're leaving. No, you're not.
That's
where the crisis in Ukraine stood Thursday after lawmakers in Crimea voted in
favor of leaving the country for Russia and putting it to a regional vote in 10
days.
It's
an act that drew widespread condemnation, with Ukrainian interim Prime Minister
Arseniy Yatsenyuk calling the effort to hold such a referendum "an
illegitimate decision."
"Crimea
was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine," he said.
It's
not clear how easily the region could split off from Ukraine, if the referendum
endorses the move.
The
developments came as Yatsenyuk joined in emergency talks in Brussels, Belgium,
called by leaders of the European Union who support the Kiev government and
want to de-escalate the crisis.
The EU and the United
States announced plans to freeze the assets of Viktor Yanukovych, who was
ousted as Ukraine's President after he turned his back on a trade deal with the
EU in favor of one with Russia. That prompted months of protests that
culminated in February with bloody street clashes that left dozens dead and
Yanukovych ousted
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