EU to impose sanctions on Russia Monday: Polish PM Tusk

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the European Union would impose sanctions on Russia starting on Monday over its military intervention in Ukraine's Crimea region. "When it comes to sanctions on Russia, a decision has in fact already been made, especially on the procedure of introducing sanctions. The consequence of this will be the start of sanctions on Monday," Tusk told a news conference on Tuesday. Russian forces have consolidated their hold on the Crimea peninsula ahead of a Russian-backed referendum on the region's future scheduled for Sunday, March 16. The government in Kiev and its Western backers have denounced the planned vote as illegal. (Reporting by Marcin Goclowski and Karolina Slowikowska; Editing by Janet Lawrence)