LVIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zeleskiy declared Friday that Ukraine “needs to attain peace” and halt Russian bombardment. The Russian bombing has forced many people from Ukraine to flee to Poland. U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Poland to see the situation firsthand.

Biden travels to Poland to discuss the refugee crisis, just days after leaders summits were held in Brussels.

On Thursday, Western leaders in Brussels announced new humanitarian and military aid. The United States and Britain increased sanctions against Russia to additional targets.

Russian Invasion, which Vladimir Putin refers to as a “special operation,” has left thousands dead and sent more than 3.6 million people overseas. It also drove over half the children of Ukraine from their homes according to United Nations.

Zelenskiy, who appeared exhausted during a video address on Friday morning, stated that he made numerous appeals to Western leaders for “one reason” – to make Russia realize that peace is possible. Russia must also achieve peace.

Zelenskiy stated that every day we defend we are closer to the peace and security we seek. And you cannot stop fighting for even a second. Every minute of every day is about our fate, our future. It is about whether or not we live.”

Zelenskiy’s appeals for an outright boycott of Russian energy, and the creation of a no fly zone in Ukraine over areas where Moscow has bombed some homes into ruins with its bombs were not met by any new Western assistance.

Russia’s assault on Ukraine, which it claims isn’t designed to invade territory, has failed to seize any of the major cities in Ukraine.

Russia has been bombarding Ukraine with constant shelling, but their armoured columns have barely made it to the capital Kyiv in several weeks. Russian forces, however, have taken over cities in the eastern part of Russia.

Russian forces are suffering heavy losses and low supplies. U.S. officials also told Reuters that Russia’s precision-guided missile failure rate is as high as 60%.

Russia denied the allegations that Russia committed war crimes against Ukraine. The United States accuse Russia. Iryna Veselchuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, stated in video that Russian forces had tortured Ukrainian prisoner.

It was impossible to independently verify the allegations of torture.

“We will locate every Russian soldier that commits war crime, as well as their accomplices…. Do not assume your surname is unknown to us. Vereshchuk stated that no one can escape being punished.

CITIES UNDER SIEGE

Russia asserts that its goals in Ukraine include the capture of what it views as dangerous nationalists. Russia claims that NATO’s eastward expansion is an attack on Russia’s safety.

After weeks of negotiations between Russian officials and Ukrainian officials, there has been no breakthrough. During this time, civilians have been subject to heavy Russian air attacks and artillery fire.

The besieged Mariupol port is located between Russian-annexed Crimea, and Russian-backed separatists’ eastern territories. Thousands are trapped in underground with no water, food or power.

One lady who waited to get food in the city claimed that her diabetic husband died in a coma. His remains were buried in a garden.

Alexandra said that she was planning to leave but found it difficult. “I cannot leave my husband in an empty flowerbed… Then we will have nowhere to go.”

According to the chief of staff for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Russia is trying to resume its offensives against Mariupol. This was stated on Thursday by Russia’s Chief of Staff.

Ukraine claims it continues to be on the offensive, and that some Russian troops have been pushed back in certain areas. It announced that its forces destroyed the Russian landship “Orsk”, which was occupying Berdyansk.

Russian officials declined to immediately comment on the incident. The flash of an explosion was seen on video footage.

Through humanitarian corridors that were negotiated between Russian and Ukrainian officials, civilians managed to escape the fighting. Officials said that more than 3,300 people fled the fighting on Thursday.

Poland is home to more than 2 million refugees from Ukraine. The influx of people has made it difficult for public services to handle the increased demand.

Biden will be visiting Ukraine to meet with President Andrzej Da, “to express our gratitude for his efforts and to review the coordination of humanitarian responses to assist the numerous Ukrainians who were affected by Putin’s war,” Karine Jean Pierre, spokesperson for the White House told reporters.