• Ukraine plans to present a white paper to the EU for tougher sanctions against Russia.
• The proposal includes asset seizures and sanctions for purchasers of Russian oil.
• U.S. President Trump has opted against new sanctions, raising concerns in Europe.
• The white paper emphasizes the need for the EU to take independent action amid U.S. uncertainty.

Ukraine is set to request the European Union to consider significant new measures aimed at isolating Russia, which include the seizure of Russian assets and the introduction of sanctions for certain buyers of Russian oil. This comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has relaxed previous commitments to tightening sanctions, leading to concerns about the reliability of American support in sanctioning Moscow, according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and Dawn.

A Ukrainian white paper, which will be presented to the EU, outlines various recommendations, including legislation to expedite the seizure of assets from sanctioned individuals, which could then be directed to Ukraine as compensation. Additionally, it proposes enhanced sanctions beyond EU borders, targeting foreign companies involved in assisting Russia, and the introduction of secondary sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil. Such measures, while significant, have yet to be embraced by the EU, which remains cautious, as detailed by Reuters, Channel News Asia, and Dawn.

Trump's recent communication with European leaders followed a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he decided against imposing new sanctions, much to the dismay of Kyiv and European leaders who had hoped for a firmer stance. This decision has increased discussions within Europe about maintaining pressure on Russia without U.S. involvement, highlighting the EU’s pivotal role in the sanctions landscape, as reported by Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The sanctions white paper underscores the "unprecedented" actions taken by the EU thus far, while also critiquing the Trump administration's diminishing involvement in multinational sanctioning efforts. The document asserts that the lack of U.S. participation should not deter the EU from acting but should rather prompt it to assume a leading role, reinforcing the importance of cohesive European action amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, according to Dawn and Reuters.

Concerns in Ukraine revolve around the potential consequences of the U.S. distancing itself from sanctions regimes, which could lead to fragmentation within the EU, traditionally reliant on consensus for major decisions. A senior Ukrainian official remarked that "American withdrawal from the sanctions regime would be a huge strike on the unity of the EU," highlighting the fragile state of international cooperation against Russia, as noted by Channel News Asia and Dawn.