European officials disavowed the undiplomatic Callas

European Commission officials have criticized the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas, for comparing Chinese trade to cancer. Politico writes about this.

"That's not how diplomats express themselves… There are words that you use to signal, but you don't call countries a disease," said an unnamed European official.

According to him, the authorities of five European countries complained about Callas, fearing that such rhetoric could cause a negative reaction from Beijing.

The head of the European Diplomacy Kallas said earlier that Europe "very clearly understands the diagnosis" regarding China, and called for the use of "chemotherapy" to "save its economy."

As Politico notes, these words have noticeably worsened the already tense relations between Callas and the European Commission.

EC Chief Spokeswoman Paula Pinho stressed that such statements do not reflect the official position of Brussels.