OMAHA BEACH, France (AP) — An American veteran and Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, shared an emotional moment at a ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion to liberate France in World War II, each praising the other as a hero.
Retired Sergeant. Melvin Hurwitz, 99, and other veterans were introduced to foreign dignitaries who remembered the Normandy landings on Thursday. When he met Zelenskyy, Hurwitz kissed the Ukrainian leader’s hand and pulled him into a prolonged hug, exclaiming, “Oh, you are the savior of the people!”
A beaming Zelenskyy responded: “No, no, no, you… you saved Europe.” The watching crowd erupted in applause and Hurwitz asked for a photo with the Ukrainian president. He told Zelenskyy he was praying for him.
O conflict in Ukraine hung over the anniversary, a grim reminder that the war is back for the Europe. The President of Ukraine was greeted with applause and a standing ovation. Russia, a crucial World War II ally that launched a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor in 2022, was not invited.
The celebrations of more than 4,400 Allies killed on D-Day and many tens of thousands more, including French civilianskilled in the ensuing Battle of Normandy, were filled with fear that The lessons of World War II are fading.
