KYIV, Ukraine — In a bitter and emotional speech, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized NATO for refusing to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying it will fully untie Russia’s hands as it escalates its attack from the air.

“All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness, because of your lack of unity,” he said in a nighttime address. “The alliance has given the green light to the bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages by refusing to create a no-fly zone.”

On Friday, NATO refused to impose a no-fly zone, warning that to do so could provoke widespread war in Europe with nuclear-armed Russia.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainians will continue to resist and have already destroyed Russia’s plans for a lightning invasion “having endured nine days of darkness and evil.”

“We are warriors of light,” he said. “The history of Europe will remember this forever.”

NATO countries are already on high alert. The U.S. has sent thousands of troops to the region in support of NATO countries. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty references a collective defense, meaning an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the U.S. is imposing another round of sanctions against Russia on Friday.

Under these new sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will not be allowed to travel to the U.S.

The U.S. will also move to freeze the leaders' assets, the Treasury Department announced.

Psaki also added the U.S. will not be sending American troops to fight in Ukraine.

“It is not in our interest to be in a war with Russia," said Psaki during the White House briefing.

The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on heads of state, including Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The announcement from the U.S. comes shortly after Britain announced it plans to impose its own sanctions on Putin and Lavrov.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “the world must make certain President Putin would fail in this act of aggression.”

Earlier on Friday, the European Union voted to go ahead with a third round of sanctions against Putin and Lavrov.

27 member states decided to freeze the assets of the two Russian leaders.

The EU has also contemplated banning Putin and Lavrov from traveling in the EU.

But European leaders have decided against it for now, saying it may complicate diplomatic moves.

The U.S. will announce new measures on Tuesday that are meant to hold Russia accountable for recognizing two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, a senior administration official said.

On Monday, the U.S. and Europe said they would impose sanctions against Russia for the move.

"We strongly condemn President Putin’s decision to recognize the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” as “independent," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The White House said President Joe Biden is issuing an executive order that will "prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine."

The executive order also authorizes sanctions against anyone who operates in those areas of Ukraine, according to the White House.

"To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine," the White House said.

Europe also said it would "react with sanctions" due to the "blatant violation of international law.” The sanctions will be imposed
against those involved in Russia's recognition of the region, according to The Associated Press.

The moves Monday ratchet up tensions between the West and Russia.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the U.S. has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade.

On Monday, Putin ordered forces to “maintain peace” in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

The U.S. said it would be paying close attention to how the Russian forces act.

"There have been Russian forces present in these areas throughout," a senior administration official said. "And so we’re going to be looking very closely at what they do over the coming hours and days, and our response will be measured according, again, to their — to their actions."