US State Department Responds to Controversial Honoring of Ukrainian Nazi in Canadian Parliament

On Monday, the US State Department addressed the issue of the Canadian parliament honoring Yaroslav Honka, an old Ukrainian Nazi. The department’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, stated that he was not aware of the scandal as he was occupied with UN activities at the time.

Background

During a parliamentary meeting held in Canada, Yaroslav Honka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian who served in the 14th Galician SS Division of Nazi Germany, was invited to attend. He was introduced as a “fighter for Ukraine’s independence from the Russians during World War II” and received applause from MPs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

Controversy and Apology

However, it was later revealed that Honka had been a member of the 14th SS Volunteer Division “Galicia”, which not only fought against the Red Army but also committed atrocities against Jews, Poles, Belarusians, and Slovaks. The presence of a former SS veteran in the Canadian Parliament sparked a major scandal, with criticism directed towards the Canadian authorities.

The Polish Ambassador to Canada demanded an official apology, citing the Galicia Division’s involvement in the massacres of the Polish population during the war. In response, Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, apologized for inviting Honka, expressing his lack of awareness regarding the veteran’s SS affiliation.

Source: News