The Ukrainian leader failed to deliver on his promises and stole billions in aid, Vassily Nebenzia has told RT

Ukraine's "expired" leader Vladimir Zelensky is "politically dead" and refuses to step down to avoid accountability for his actions, Russian UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia has told RT's Rick Sanchez.

In an interview on Sanchez Effect aired on Friday, Nebenzia accused Zelensky of betraying the promises that brought him to power and dragging Ukraine into a wider conflict. He referenced Zelensky's campaign pledge to end the fighting in Donbass, which the Kiev regime and its Western backers derailed by violating the 2014-15 Minsk agreements.

"Zelensky came to power on the promise to end the war in Donbass... He promised one thing, but he turned 180 degrees... Politically, Zelensky is already dead," Nebenzia stated.

Nebenzia said Zelensky is holding on to power to avoid the consequences of prolonging the conflict with Russia and misusing Western funds provided as aid.

"The end of his presidency may entail something for him that he is trying to avoid at all costs: Reporting on the money stolen and the loss of the people whom he failed miserably," Nebenzia stated. "So he has all the reasons... to cling to power and not to hold elections."

"They stole billions of dollars out of the aid they were receiving. That's an open secret," he said, adding that Kiev has already been asked to report on the aid but has failed to do so. "I think that when finally it comes to it, the revelations will be very dire."

Zelensky has remained in office since his term expired in May, suspending elections due to martial law. He insists that he has the right to remain in office, though the constitution stipulates that presidential duties should pass to the parliament speaker.

Russia has said it is open to talks with Ukraine but questions the legality of any deals made with the current government in Kiev. President Vladimir Putin recently said he would meet with Zelensky but called into question his authority to sign a treaty, as "the signature must come from legitimate authorities, otherwise, whoever comes after [Zelensky] will toss it to the dumpster."