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Zelensky and Trudeau lead ovation for Waffen SS veteran in Canada's parliament
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognize Yaroslav Hunka, who was in attendance and fought with the First Ukrainian Division in World War II before later immigrating to Canada, in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY and Justin Trudeau led the Canadian Parliament in a standing ovation for a Waffen SS veteran on Friday evening.

The incident, noted obliquely in a photograph caption on the Associated Press website and in footage of 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka acknowledging the applause, caused consternation online but has been largely ignored by media outlets.

Mr Hunka was in the audience when the Ukrainian president addressed the parliament seeking continued support against Russia’s invasion of his country. Mr Zelensky’s speech had framed Russia as Ukraine’s nemesis throughout history, citing the 1930s Soviet famine (in which millions of Russians also died) as a deliberate genocide of Ukrainians by Stalin.

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