The European Union has come under fire from foreign policy analysts and social media commentators for what many are calling a hypocritical stance in its handling of the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, especially when contrasted with its vocal position during the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas sparked backlash after calling for “restraint and dialogue” between India and Pakistan, following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Kallas, who spoke separately with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday, posted on X urging both sides to de-escalate the situation—without acknowledging Pakistan’s long-standing involvement in cross-border terrorism.

“Escalation helps no one,” Kallas wrote, prompting criticism for failing to condemn Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism targeting India.

Observers quickly drew comparisons between Kallas’s neutral tone now and her much stronger language in response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Past statements by Kallas—such as “defence is not provocation” and “the aggressor will never stop unless he is stopped”—were highlighted to showcase the apparent inconsistency in her diplomatic approach.

Experts pointed out that while the EU had actively rallied behind Ukraine with military and economic support, its approach to South Asia continues to lean on outdated paradigms. “Feels like a return of the hyphenated India-Pakistan lens from Brussels,” remarked one analyst.

Sushant Sareen, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), criticized the EU’s position, saying repeated attempts at diplomacy with Pakistan have yielded no results in curbing terrorism. “Dialogue and diplomacy have already cost too many Indian lives,” he wrote on X, accusing the EU of ignoring the ground reality.

Oliver Blarel, a visiting fellow at Carnegie, also voiced his disappointment, stating that the EU's stance demonstrates a lack of awareness about how India has repeatedly shared evidence with Pakistan after such attacks, with little to no outcome. “Telling India to sit with arms crossed while terrorism thrives is unrealistic,” he said.

Social media users also recalled a sharp comment made by Jaishankar in 2022 during a forum in Slovakia, where he had said, “Europe has to grow out of the mindset that its problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s.”

Some commentators noted that India has never expected Europe to take strong action on Pakistan, citing the continent’s historic diplomatic and trade alignment with Islamabad. The EU is currently Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner, a relationship that many believe influences its reluctance to take a firm position.

In summary, the EU’s attempt to play neutral peacemaker in the wake of the Pahalgam attack has not gone down well with Indian experts, who view the gesture as tone-deaf and misinformed, especially in light of the EU’s more assertive response to similar global conflicts.