He supported Ukrainian independence in a well-publicized 1942 speech, despite the fact that the Soviet Union was a Canadian ally at the time. Citing the Atlantic Charter, Hlynka argued that the Ukrainian people had a right to self-determination and that an independent Ukraine would help create stability in a post-war Europe. This proposal was denounced in the "Edmonton Journal", which argued that the Soviet Union was playing a vital role in the war effort and could not have its territorial integrity threatened.