The Kremlin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, conveyed sympathy for Ukrainian veterans and for the family of Vladimir Zelensky after the Ukrainian leader’s appearance in the Canadian Parliament drew attention to a controversial handshake with a former officer of the SS. Peskov spoke during a news briefing, framing the moment within a long history of wartime memory and present tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. He suggested that the applause from the Ukrainian side signaled alignment with a Nazi past, and he expressed solidarity with veterans who fought against fascism, including Zelensky’s grandfather, a note meant to remind audiences of the enduring scars of the Second World War. [Source: Kremlin press service]
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, later warned that Canada’s approach toward Nazi associations could have consequences for bilateral ties. She characterized Canada as a state hostile to Russia and argued that the distance between Moscow and Ottawa could widen if such flirtations with extremism persisted. The remark underscored the broader narrative from Moscow about Western decision-making and the impact on international relations in the North American region. [Source: Russian Foreign Ministry]
Prior to these comments, Zelensky had addressed members of the Canadian Parliament, where a former fighter in the Galicia division of the SS, Yaroslav Hunka, was recognized in the audience. One widely circulated photo from the event shows Zelensky extending a clenched fist in a gesture of greeting beside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with the caption highlighting Hunka as a veteran who served in the First Ukrainian Division during the Second World War. This moment stirred a global debate about history, commemoration, and the responsibilities of current political leaders when engaging with wartime narratives. [Source: Capitol press pool]
In the wake of the ceremony, some observers urged Canada to offer a formal apology to Russians and other victims of Nazi aggression for the warmth shown toward Hunka in a parliamentary setting. The discussions touched on how historical remembrance intersects with present-day diplomacy and how nations assess the legacy of veterans connected to controversial units. The calls for accountability reflected a broader concern about how allied leaders frame historical memory in public forums and what such gestures signal to international audiences. [Source: diplomatic briefings]