Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador said on Wednesday any decision by President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration to cut support for Ukraine would be a "death sentence" for the Ukrainian army, while accusing Kyiv of trying to drag NATO countries into direct conflict with Russia in the meantime.

Speaking to the U.N. Security Council, Dmitry Polyanskiy accused the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden of trying through its increased support to Ukraine to create a "mess, both in Russia and with the new team in the White House."

Polyanskiy said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was terrified of the return of Trump in January, and had reason to be so.