House of Commons Speaker, Anthony Rota, says the decision to invite a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit in WW2 to Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech, was entirely his own. In a statementhe said “I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.”

Ninety-eight-year-old Yaroslav Hunka was honoured as a war hero by M-Ps with a standing ovation during the Ukrainian President’s visit to Ottawa on Friday. Hunka fought for the First Ukrainian Division, a voluntary unit under the command of the Nazis.

He was invited by Speaker Anthony Rota, who released a statement saying he recognized an individual in the gallery on Friday but has since — quote — “become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.”