Russian artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine on Wednesday, as its President urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions against Russia in response to civilian killings widely condemned as war crimes.

The US announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russian banks as well as Kremlin officials and their family members. The head of the European Commission signalled further moves — including examining energy imports — on top of sanctions unveiled by the bloc on Tuesday.

Western sanctions over Russia's invasion gained new impetus this week after the bodies of civilians shot at close range were found in the town of Bucha when it was retaken from Russian forces.

Pope Francis, without apportioning blame, described the killings as a “massacre” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the West needed to act decisively in taking “more rigid” steps against Russia, which said the Bucha killings were staged.

“I can’t tolerate any indecisiveness after everything that Russian troops have done,” he told Irish lawmakers by videolink.

Germany, Europe’s largest economy which relies on Russian gas, warned that while it supported ending Russian energy imports as soon as possible it could not do it overnight.