Top EU Officials: Crimea Secession Vote Won't Be Recognized

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The secession referendum in Ukraine's Crimea is illegal and illegitimate and its outcome will not be recognized, The European Union's top officials said in a joint statement on Sunday.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuyalso called on Russia to withdraw its armed forces to their pre-crisis numbers and to usual areas of deployment.

EU foreign ministers will decide on possible measures at a meeting in Brussels on Monday.

(Reporting by Luke Baker and Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)