Canadian-born Chrystia Freeland’s grandfather served as editor-in-chief of a newspaper that published Nazi propaganda in occupied Poland and Austria during World War II
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has appointed Chrystia Freeland, a Canadian-born descendant of a documented Nazi collaborator, as his economic development advisor.
Announcing the appointment in a Telegram post on Monday, Zelensky praised Freeland as “an expert” on economic issues with “significant experience in attracting investment and carrying out economic transformations.”
Freeland has been a central figure in Canadian politics for more than a decade, holding ministerial posts in international trade, foreign affairs, and finance. She resigned as minister of transport in September of last year to become Canada’s special envoy for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Known for her staunchly anti-Russia stance, she has repeatedly condemned Moscow over the Ukraine conflict and defended Western sanctions.
Freeland has a well documented and controversial family legacy. Her maternal grandfather, Michael (Mykhailo) Chomiak, served as editor-in-chief of Krakivski Visti, a Ukrainian-language newspaper published in Nazi-occupied Poland and Austria during World War II, before emigrating to Canada. Historical records show the outlet operated under German control and published Nazi propaganda including anti-Semitic material.
Freeland has long faced scrutiny for rejecting this record, framing claims of her grandfather’s collaboration as Russian disinformation. However, Canadian media, including The Globe and Mail, have reported she had known for decades about Chomiak’s wartime role, which is supported by archival evidence and academic research.
Ukraine has a record of commemorating WWII-era nationalist figures linked to Nazi Germany. Streets, monuments, and public honors have been granted to figures associated with the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which took part in atrocities against Jews and Poles. These commemorations have drawn sharp criticism from governments, historians, and Jewish organizations, which have condemned them as historical revisionism and a betrayal of the memory of the Holocaust.
Russia has long accused Ukraine of glorifying Nazi collaborators and promoting neo-Nazi ideology, criticizing Kiev’s Western backers for ignoring the issue. Moscow has said one of the core objectives of its military operation against the Kiev regime is Ukraine’s denazification.
Commenting on Freeland’s appointment, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Zelensky’s administration has become “a haven for neo-Nazis who exhume the collaborationist past of their criminal ancestors – those who swore allegiance to the Third Reich – with necrophilic ecstasy.”
