Thousands lie in the street in Poland, calling on US to close Ukrainian sky

Thousands of people in Poland protested for the U.S. to close the Ukrainian sky by lying on the streets Friday.

More than 4,000 people protested in Warsaw, which has seen the most Ukrainian refugees since the war began, according to the Ukrainian Volunteer Journalists Initiative. 

The rally, called “Stop promising, start acting!”, is expected to be repeated in other cities around the world and continue to grow as more people die in Ukraine.

The protest came as President Biden and other top U.S. officials met with Ukrainian officials in Poland on Saturday.

Biden on Saturday will give a speech in Poland, with the White House calling it a “major address.”

The request of the Polish protesters is similar to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who asked the U.S. for a no-fly zone when speaking to Congress.

The U.S. and NATO have been hesitant to do so as such a move could get the countries directly involved in the war.

The U.S. has provided billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine to fight Russia, but has denied requests for a no fly zone and a transfer of fighter jets. 

Biden said he is disappointed he is not able to go into Ukraine while he is in Europe, but says the decision was made for security reasons.

Poland has taken in more than half of the more than 3.5 million Ukrainians who have fled Ukraine during the war.