According to RT on June 29, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is currently just an "expired leader" but still tries to hold on to power to avoid being held accountable.
In the interview, Mr. Nebenzia affirmed that Mr. Zelensky not only failed to fulfill his campaign commitments, but also dragged Ukraine into a wider conflict, causing heavy losses to the country. The Russian ambassador reiterated that Zelensky had promised to end the war in Donbass, but in reality, he went against that promise.
Ambassador Nebenzia also accused Kiev and its Western allies of violating the 2014 - 2015 Minsk Agreement, causing the peace process to collapse.
Mr. Nebenzia said that Mr. Zelensky's refusal to withdraw from the position of president was to avoid the consequences of prolonging the conflict with Russia as well as financial scandals related to Western aid.
The end of his term would bring the consequences he would avoid at all costs, such as explaining the amount of money he lost to the sea and the lives he lost, Nebenzia said.
Ambassador Nebenzia also accused the Kiev government of seizing billions of dollars in aid. Despite requests from relevant parties for financial reporting, Ukraine has yet to provide an explanation. I think when everything is brought to light, the outcome will be very bad, he stressed.
Zelensky remains in office after his presidency ends in May, citing martial law allowing him to retain control. However, the Ukrainian constitution stipulates that presidential power must be transferred to the Speaker of the National Assembly in this situation.
The Kremlin has said it is ready for dialogue with Ukraine, but is skeptical about the legality of any agreement signed under the current administration. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently said he could meet Zelensky, but questioned his legal authority.
