Ukraine proposes tougher Russia sanctions to EU while U.S. hesitates

This was reported by Reuters.

It is noted that a so-called “white paper,” to be presented to the EU, urges the bloc to take a tougher and more independent stance on sanctions amid uncertainty about Washington’s future role.

What exactly will Ukraine propose to the EU?

Among the 40 pages of recommendations are proposals to adopt laws that would speed up the process of seizing the assets of sanctioned individuals in the EU and transferring those funds to Ukraine. Individuals under sanctions could seek compensation from Russia.

The EU is also advised to consider a series of measures for stricter enforcement of sanctions beyond its region — particularly targeting foreign companies that use European technologies to support Russia, and introducing secondary sanctions against buyers of Russian oil.

The proposal encourages the EU to enhance the extraterritorial impact of its sanctions by targeting foreign companies aiding Russia and by implementing secondary sanctions against oil buyers.

According to Reuters, secondary sanctions — which could affect major buyers like India and China — would be a significant move that Europe has so far hesitated to make. Trump previously spoke publicly about such measures but later decided not to pursue them.

The document also proposes that the EU consider adopting a majority voting system for sanctions decisions, to prevent individual member states from blocking measures that currently require unanimity.

What happened earlier?

Reuters reports that after a phone call with Putin on Monday, Trump decided not to introduce new sanctions against Russia. This disappointed European leaders and Kyiv, who had been urging tougher pressure on Moscow for weeks. According to a source close to the negotiations, after his call with Putin, Trump spoke with Ukrainian and European leaders and said he wanted to give time for negotiations instead of imposing sanctions now.

Nevertheless, on Tuesday, the EU and the UK introduced additional sanctions against Russia and hope the U.S. will support them. Still, European leaders are now openly discussing how to maintain pressure on Moscow if the U.S. steps back from involvement.

On the EU's further role

The sanctions “white paper” emphasizes the unprecedented nature of the EU’s existing sanctions but notes that the bloc can do more. It acknowledges that the U.S. government no longer wishes to take part in drafting new measures against Russia.

"Today, in practice, Washington has ceased participation in nearly all intergovernmental platforms focused on sanctions and export control," it said.

A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that a U.S. pullback from sanctions against Russia would deal a serious blow to European unity.

The EU cannot fully replace the U.S. in applying economic pressure on Russia due to the dollar’s dominance. However, Craig Kennedy, a Harvard University expert on Russian energy, noted that softening U.S. sanctions is unlikely to bring back significant foreign investment if Europe remains firm.

"Europe holds a lot more cards than you'd think," he said.

• On May 20, the European Union adopted its 17th package of sanctions against Russia, targeting nearly 200 ships in the so-called shadow fleet. 
• The UK followed by expanding its own sanctions list, adding over 100 new targets.