Obama Calls Angela Merkel, Cites 'Illegitimacy' Of Russia Move In Crimea

Obama Cites 'Complete Illegitimacy' Of Russia Move In Crimea
President Barack Obama arrives to speak about Ukraine in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Obama's statement comes as his administration is expressing growing concern over Russian intentions in Ukraine. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a blunt warning Friday to Moscow against military moves in the country's southern Crimea region that could further inflame tensions. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama arrives to speak about Ukraine in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Obama's statement comes as his administration is expressing growing concern over Russian intentions in Ukraine. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a blunt warning Friday to Moscow against military moves in the country's southern Crimea region that could further inflame tensions. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama discussed the Ukraine crisis with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a phone call on Sunday and underscored the "complete illegitimacy" of Russian's incursion in Ukraine's Crimea, a senior U.S. official said.

"(The primary point) in all of his calls has been to underscore the complete illegitimacy of Russia's intervention" in the Crimea region of Ukraine, the official told reporters in a conference call.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Obama planned shortly to make the same point in conversations with the British prime minister and the Polish president.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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