BERLIN, May 11 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on Saturday declared a planned referendum in eastern Ukraine as illegal.

During Hollande's visit to Germany's northern port city of Stralsund, the two leaders issued a joint statement on the Ukraine crisis.

The referendums, planned to be hold in several cities in eastern Ukraine, are illegal, said the statement.

At a joint press conference after their meeting, Merkel said Germany and France saw the vote, arranged to take place in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, as illegal. Both countries would support holding a free and fair presidential election across the whole of Ukraine on May 25.

Hollande said he and Merkel had condemned the vote in eastern Ukraine during their talks. "The referendum on Sunday has no significance for us," he said.