90-year-old Chatham veteran asks Ukrainian Consulate to give his NATO medal to Zelenskyy

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 17, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

A 90-year-old Canadian aerial unit seasoned who earned a medal for work to NATO brought his medal to the Consulate General of Ukraine past week and asked unit to springiness it to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Cecil Snow of Chatham served nether the NATO emblem for astir 4 years successful Schwebren, Germany, betwixt 1957 and 1960, defending Europe from the Soviet Union, helium explained.

Now, helium said, helium feels it's Zelenskyy who is warring for NATO. 

"I judge that President Zelenskyy did much successful 1 hr successful the White House than I did successful the 4 years I served," Snow said successful a missive to the consulate that helium delivered with the medal.

Snow was referring to the Oval Office confrontation betwixt Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance connected Feb. 28 during which Trump accused Zelenskyy of "gambling with World War Three" and Vance complained that Zelenskky hadn't said "Thank you" capable for American enactment successful defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Snow said Zelenskyy "showed large courageousness and fortitude" during the encounter, which happened conscionable days aft Ukraine marked the 3rd day of Russia's invasion.

"He was successful nonstop struggle with Trump, who was much similar Putin astatine that time," Snow told CBC.

Not a hard decision

"So it was the westbound against the eastbound again. … similar Trump had switched sides."

Snow says helium was "absolutely disgusted by Trump's bunch," saying they were "big bullies picking connected the small guy."

Snow said giving the medal to Zelenskyy was not a hard decision.

"I was conscionable doing my mean duties," helium said astir his years successful the aerial force.

"Keeping our airplane acceptable to respond to immoderate Soviet penetration …  It was conscionable a mean time astatine the office."

Snow hopes that giving the medal to Zelenskyy will deepen the transportation betwixt NATO and Ukraine.

Staff astatine the Ukrainian consulate astatine archetypal had occupation knowing what Snow was trying to do, but past idiosyncratic work his missive retired loud. 

When Snow turned to leave, the 20 oregon truthful radical successful the country applauded. 

NATO volition support Canada

"I was benignant of taken backmost by that," helium said.

"They approved of what I was doing."

Snow said helium thinks Canada should support warring against Trump, who has been imposing tariffs and threatening to annex the country. 

"I'm rather arrogant to accidental I'm a Canadian, and I o.k. of what our authorities is doing," helium said.

"And I mightiness punctual Mr. Trump that it's not casual to instrumentality Canada due to the fact that we're portion of NATO, and NATO would person to travel to our aid."