American WWII veteran praises Zelensky as ‘savior of the people’

Rachel Scully

6 June 2024 at 4:03 pm·1-min read

An American World War II veteran shared an emotional moment with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a ceremony Thursday marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.

The D-Day veteran, whose name is unknown, is seen in the video first shaking hands with the Ukrainian leader. However, the veteran quickly takes Zelensky’s hand and kisses it, leading them to both erupt in laughter.

The veteran is then seen embracing Zelensky from his wheelchair and telling him that he is the “savior of the people.”

“No, no,” Zelensky responded. “You saved Europe.”

The video has gone viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views since it was posted Thursday morning.

Zelensky visited Normandy alongside other world leaders, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Prince William, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to commemorate the invasion that helped turn the tide of World War II.

The Ukrainian president also has plans to sit down with President Biden during the visit to “have an engagement with him to talk about the state of play in Ukraine and how we can continue to deepen our support for Ukraine,” according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Marking the anniversary with a speech in Normandy, Biden put a spotlight on Ukraine in his tribute to the bravery of those who landed in Normandy 80 years ago, invoking Ukraine’s fight against “a tyrant.”

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