STORY: Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk-II nuclear power plant on Tuesday, his first visit to the western Kursk region since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month.
State television showed Putin meeting volunteers and local officials accompanied by the Kremlin's first deputy chief of staff.
Russia said in late April it had ejected Ukrainian troops from the region, ending the biggest incursion into Russian territory since World War Two.
But in an attempt to inflict pain on Russia off the battlefield, Ukraine will ask the EU next week to consider big new steps to isolate Moscow.
A previously unreported Ukrainian white paper, seen by Reuters, calls for seizing Russian assets and bringing in sanctions for some buyers of Russian oil.
The paper asks the bloc to take a more aggressive and independent position on sanctions as uncertainty hangs over the United States's future role.
Among 40 pages of recommendations were calls to adopt legislation to speed up seizing assets from individuals, and send them to Ukraine.
:: Russian defense ministry
And make sanctions apply more forcefully beyond EU territory, including targeting foreign companies that use technology to help Russia.
Such secondary sanctions, which could hit big buyers such as India and China, would be a major step Europe has so far been reluctant to take.
After speaking to Putin on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump opted not to impose fresh sanctions on Russia, dashing hopes of European leaders and Kyiv.
Trump told Ukrainian and European leaders after the call he wanted to give talks time to take place, a person familiar with the conversation told Reuters.
The EU and Britain imposed additional sanctions against Russia on Tuesday anyway, saying they still hope Washington will join them.
But Europeans are openly discussing ways they can maintain pressure on Moscow if Washington is no longer prepared to participate.
