Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky receives a standing ovation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and parliamentaries after delivering a speech in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, on Friday, September 22, 2023. (AP)

The leader of Canada's parliamentary opposition, Pierre Poilievre, described Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "clown" following the invitation of a former Nazi Ukrainian soldier to Canada's parliament.

"The prime minister is seen as a clown on the world stage. But whether you blame him or the Liberal Speaker [Anthony Rota, announced resignation on Tuesday] for recognizing a Nazi on the floor of the House of Commons, we all agree that it took him five days - five days - [to apologize] while he hid under a rock and let our reputation be torn to tatters," Poilievre told the Canadian parliament on Thursday.

The opposition leader further said that the prime minister appeared to prioritize safeguarding his personal image over the task of "defending the nation."

Trudeau issued a formal apology to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, acknowledging the uncomfortable position in which he had placed the Ukrainian leader.

This followed an incident where Zelensky was photographed pumping his fist in response to a salute from former SS member Yaroslav Hunka, who received a standing ovation from Canadian lawmakers.

Here's what you need to know

Last Friday, the entire Canadian legislature gave a standing ovation to 98-year-old Ukrainian Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka.

The Canadian parliament gave a standing ovation to Yaroslav Hunk, a member of the 14th Waffen-SS division who fought on the side of Germany in WWII and took part in the Holocaust.
Every single person who applauded him is now officially a Naz! sympathiser. pic.twitter.com/Oh1I416myn
— Denis Rogatyuk (@DenisRogatyuk) September 24, 2023

Hunka received praise and a standing ovation from those in attendance "for his role in combat during World War II." However, it's noteworthy that Hunka was a member of the Nazi Division 14 of the Waffen-SS, which has historical associations with Nazi Germany and had committed genocide against Poles and Jews in Western Ukraine.

This issue triggered significant outrage on social media, as Canadian journalists and activists from various backgrounds pointed out that this individual's history had been glossed over by veterans' organizations in Western countries.

Others expressed astonishment at the recognition of "an immigrant who served in a military unit of the Third Reich and faced accusations of committing 'war crimes.'"

It is worth mentioning that Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized on multiple occasions that Russian soldiers are fighting "to liberate their homeland from Nazism," underscoring the importance of preventing the resurgence of Nazism, which inflicted considerable suffering on various nations.